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Love Supreme 



or 



The Great Exorcism 



By Arthur Crane 



FOURTH EDITION 



THE IMPERSONAL SERIES 



Published by 

The Abstract Truth Society 

333 So. Dearborn St., Chicago, Ills. 

Price, $2.00 Net, Postage Paid 



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Copyright 1918 
by the 

Abstract Truth Society 

333 So. Dearborn St. 

Chicago, Ills. 



AUG 21 ISi8 



■? 



OCU503180 



PREFACE. 



The author has been the target, ever since 
he began giving away "The New Philosophy" 
in 1904, of more abuse and persecution than 
has fallen to the lot of any other healer or 
teacher of this generation. 

He spent his savings distributing his first 
book, incurring the indignation of many who 
did not approve, and when he discovered the 
healing power of unselfish love, if given with- 
out money, he incurred the indignation of a 
powerful organization. 

That be does not flinch in the faee of the 
world's abuse, he claims to be no merit of 
his own. The Universal Love, which can be 
everyone's Courage, sustains him, and he be- 
lieves it will ever sustain him. 

This volume is an attempt to bring home 
to its readers the nature and reality of liv- 
ing and growing by the living power called 



the Universal Love, and of seeking and find- 
ing perfect health and increased powers 
thereby. 

The author aims to deal with this earth, 
and not the distant stars, with this time, and 
not the distant future, and hopes that he has 
succeeded in making his analysis of the heart 
of man wholly unecclesiastical. 



CONTENTS 



Page 
Portrait of Author j "... 1 

Preface 5 

Introduction to Fourth Edition 9 

PART 1— LOVE IMMORTAL 
Chapter Page 

I. Instantaneous Healing 15 

II. Love Defined 21 

III. What Love is Not 31 

IV. The Growth of Love 35 

PART II— ALLEGED ENEMIES 

V. The Origin of Evil 44 

VI. The Secret Power 58 

VII. Literature on Influences 79 

VIII. False and Slandering Influences 94 

IX. Influences of Malice, Anger and 

Revenge 97 

X. The Influence of the Beast 100 

XI. The Influences Attacking Health....l07 

XII. The Influences Causing Strife 116 

XIII. The Influence Causing Self-accusa- 
tion 118 

7 



Chapter 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 

XIX. 

PART III 

XX. 

XXI. 

XXII. 

XXIII. 

XXIV. 

XXV. 

XXVI. 

XXVII. 

XXVIII. 

XXIX. 

XXX. 

PART 
XXXI. 
XXXII. 
XXXIII. 
XXXIV. 
XXXV. 
XXXVI. 
XXXVII. 
XXXVIII. 
XXXIX. 



Page 

Mammon .". 121 

Sorrow and Disappointment 124 

Injustice . .....128 

Bad Luck . 131 

Astarte, the Goddess...:.... 135 

Thirteen Adverse Spirits 139 



—THE IDEAL OR ALL MYSTERIES 

The Voice Within .151 

I Justify „ . 156 

I Heal You 161 

I Heal Through You , 164 

I Am Pure 167 

I Give 171 

I Am All; You are Nothing..... 178 

I Regenerate You . i 182 

I Set You Free 186 

I Call You by All Voices 190 

The Mystery of Death....... 196 

IV— PRACTICAL APPLICATION 

Listen to the Voice.. 203 

Let Me Help You..... 206 

Self-Selfishness 1 210 

Unselfishness 221 

The Song of Life...... .'. 236 

Answers to Correspondence 243 

The Great Acceptance 287 

Bible Lesson on Influences. .....293 

Testimonials and Reviews 304 



8 



INTRODUCTION TO FOURTH EDITION. 



This book is divided into four divisions: 
(1) Love Immortal, (2) Alleged Enemies, 
(3) The Ideal of Life, and (4) Practical Ap- 
plication. Each of these divisions is from a 
different point of view, and none can be cor- 
rectly appraised by itself; each must be tem- 
pered in the mind by the other divisions. 
Some will find it best to read the last division 
first; others, the first first. Some will begin 
each part and study the one which interests 
them most. 

I.— First the reader is introduced to that 
wonderful force touching his heart with high 
resolve for good, which is love. 

II. — Next an analyzation of the divisions 
of that part of man 's earthly nature that 
would weaken him or fill him with fear. To 
many this is the most vital part, for even 
some advanced students are full of "the fear 



of fear." They turn their faces resolutely 
away from such analyzation, and avoid fear 
— most fearfullv. Now the only way to con- 
quer fear is to face it. 

Napoleon said the worst mistake that could 
be made was to despise the enemy. Life is 
warfare. To turn our back on the strife only 
exposes our weakest part. This analyzation 
must be faced if we would know the foe. 
Here also is a history of many superstitions 
— showing how our ancestors regarded those 
INFLUENCES which they felt— showing 
how each superstitious fear was induced by 
feelings which had a real basis, as science 
has demonstrated — showing how fear has al- 
ways been the chief weapon of the opposing 
forces. 

The veil of mystery hitherto concealing the 
real character of these superstitions has ex- 
isted because people were timid about facing 
the truth, and preferred to believe that there 
is no such thing as ■ ' evil. ' ' This veil of mys- 
tery has helped the insidious power of the 
enemy — so much so, indeed, as hundreds of 
cases prove, that the mere tearing away of 
the veil of mystery — the mere exposure of the 

It 



true nature of the enemy — puts to flight all 
sorts of diseases and distempers. But if you 
fear to let your eyes behold such hideousness 
as the enemy of mankind, then by the weapon 
of that fear you will be conquered, instead of 
overcoming, until you at last say: "I will, at 
least, know what mine enemy is. ' ' 

III. — Then, when you have boldly faced 
the truth of the second part of the book, you 
will be ready to enter in to the realization 
of the beautiful ideal — to drop, for the time 
being, the shackles of personality, and live 
impersonally in the cosmic consciousness. 
There is no short cut to the Elysian fields. 
You cannot realize the Ideal, until after you 
have seen and recognized and conquered the 
Beast. You cannot know the glories of the 
morning until you have overcome the hor- 
rors of the night. No easy passage to glory 
is offered you 

"While others fight to win the prize." 
You must come to the battle if you would 
sit at the victory. This book takes you down 
to the "valley of the shadow of death" and 
shows you the naked falsity that you must 
withstand ; then it takes you to the mountain 

11 



top and shows you the beautiful Ideal — -and 
entrances you with the pure joy of that sweet 
and lovely consciousness which will dwell 
with you eternally- — springing up immortally 
like a fountain of joy in the mind. 

IV.— The fourth part of the book brings 
us back to Earth, but not as before. "With 
that consciousness of victory and that foun- 
tain of joy in the mind we can come back to 
the every day affairs of life. We have killed 
out all personal desires and ambitions, yet we 
are stronger to accomplish the very things 
that personal desire and ambition so vainly 
strive for. All that was once futile and dis- 
appointing becomes now possible and satis- 
fying. 

An illumination that would only be ours 
when we retire into the " silence," would 
be less than practical in this work-a-day 
world. 

A mental superiority that could not hold its 
own against the heartless logic of worldly 
chaff, would be all right in the secret places, 
but would seem less than complete for a 
standard of daily life. ,, 

So do not be satisfied if you think you have 

12 



mastered the first three parts of this book, 
unless you also can say that you live its prac- 
tical application, and demonstrate, in your 
own life, the consciousness of victory. 

If you cannot, you must go back, learn 
again the nature of the enemy, and learn 
again the consciousness of the ideal. 

Then, when you come again to the fourth 
part, the directions will seem more clear, and 
you will be able to live at one with the ME, 
the I AM within you, having overcome all 
sense of Separateness. 



13 



PART I— LOVE IMMORTAL 



CHAPTER I 



INSTANTANEOUS HEALING. 



There is a spirit in which the writer and 
the reader can be instantaneously joined. It 
is like an invisible body with visible parts, 
some at a great distance from each other. 
And we may call this great invisible body the 
Spirit of Love, universal, unselfish, immor- 
tal, yes, supreme Love. 

To Kant the subjective was but a part of 
the great objective, and we also may realize 
that we partake of the nature of the whole 
vine of which we are the visible branches. And 
when we do realize that wonderful truth we 
can be said to love. For the heart responds 

15 



most wondrously to the touch of that realiza- 
tion. And when any two or more hearts re- 
alize the invisible body which unites them — 
the invisible cord which joins them — they can 
be said to love each other. 

There is naught of Self in spiritual love. 
Any attempt to exercise it for money cuts the 
cord of realization of spiritual unity. And 
when obligation is felt, as for a great healing 
impulse received through that invisible body 
of Universal Love, such feeling of obligation 
cuts the cord of realization, it necessarily be- 
ing based upon a feeling of separate personal- 
ity. For the heart is subject to attacks by 
the Self. And the Self cannot realize any 
spiritual unity, e. g., as between one branch 
of an invincible vine and another, for the Self 
claims to be a whole vine itself, and inde- 
pendent. 

Now love is the great healing force. And 
the moment any one of us who realizes 
completely the power of the invisible vine 
and that other one who needs the healing and 
saving force, are both brought to realize the 
invisible cord which connects them, that very 

18 



moment, by that great power, inherent in that 
invisible body, a wonderful, instantaneous 
healing would, if love were a potent force, 
reach the one who needs it. And no one can 
doubt that love is powerful. For is not even 
earthly love (passion) more potent in the 
affairs of men than mechanical force? And 
if that which is passional is potent, how much 
more that which is spiritual and vital to our 
hearts? 

Now I endeavor to show throughout this 
volume that whatever sickness or weakness 
or inability to cope with our environment, 
may oppress or injure us, it is but one form 
or other of the demon Self, or sense-of-sepa- 
rateness. And this point is so elaborated 
herein that some persons who have not read 
the book, but have only opened it here and 
there, have assumed that certain old super- 
stitious beliefs are advocated, whereas, as will 
be seen by anyone reading the -whole book, 
part of its purpose is to expose those very 
superstitions, and show how the fear created 
by them has been used by the old Self, or 
Sense-of-Separateness, to attack mankind. . 

And every form of trouble or adversity is 

17 



a form of that attack. And the cure for 
every one of those forms is the realization of 
the truth that we are not separate but united, 
not individual and independent, but joined 
forever to that invisible tree whose branches 
we are. 

And this cure is instantaneous. For it 
takes place first in the heart itself. In that 
moment of realization, which is perfect love, 
when one humbly sends his realization to 
another, by means of the veins or cords of 
that invisible tree, and that other one in that 
moment realizes his union in that realization, 
and his heart knows that he is one with that 
other one then in that heart, as if by a strange 
electric flash, a subtle chemical change takes 
place. Never again can that heart return to 
the same sense of separateness it had before. 
It is pitched to a new note, and one to which 
the whole body will sooner or later vibrate. 

But many who see intellectually that this 
is so, yet fail, at first, to join in the spiritual 
realization. For they are not willing to give 
up completely old Sense-of-Separateness. 
And until they are willing they cannot re- 
alize their connection with that invisible 

It 






tree, or, through it, with one who would hum- 
bly send his realization to them. 

So it is that no one can partake of unity, 
until he surrenders completely all his old 
self and its separateness. To consciously be 
joined, it is first necessary to consciously give 
up separateness. And how deep the heart- 
searching is necessary before one can say, I 
give up all! For this old demon Self meets 
us at every turn. All that is personal is 
separate. All our self-righteousness, self-be- 
liefs, self-possessions, and self -fears are in the 
way. The heart can never be free until it 
willingly gives them all up. 

But it is all right, after one has willingly 
given them all up, and after that ineffable 
moment of healing, and after the benefit is 
fully received, to reassume all those posses- 
sions and beliefs. For they will be found to 
be themselves translated and of far greater 
value than before. For the Spiritual law is 
that what we give up we obtain. What we 
surrender is comparatively worthless, a mere 
seed, say a bean, thrown away with absolute 
abandon. But when we come again, having 
attained the love plane, we find it a splendid, 

19 



upright bean stalk with a veritable fairyland 
spread out atop. 

Yet they who through separate ambition 
throw the bean on purpose to obtain the bean- 
stalk, never see that wonderful fairyland 
and likewise miss the healing by the way. 



20 



CHAPTEK II. 



LOVE DEFINED. 



When in happy childhood's hours, 

We gathered childhood's flowers, 
And clasped each other's hands in simple glee, 

We breathed one short, sweet vow, 

Which we have kept till now, 
And shall forever keep, clean, pure and free! 

You were dearer than a sister, 

I was nearer than a brother, 
When we took that vow, To LOVE, but 

Never, Never WANT each other. 

Since then we both have wandered 
Where the Wanting-lillies grow, 
(And we both have gathered lilies, 

Which will last some time, I know). 
But still upon that altar burning, 
The love which asks for no returning, 

Shines the bright IMMORTAL fire, 

Which is LOVE and NOT desire. 



Every bubble seen on the surface of the 
pond is the result of causes far beneath. So 
that which the physical man does, or thinks, 

21 



or feels, is the surface indication of his spirit- 
ual growth for the time being. 

The great adventure, the sublime climax 
of man's physical nature, that dear marriage 
or union of man and his bride, which is called 
love, brings to our vision, more clearly than 
anything else on earth, the picture of the joy 
of spiritual union. 

For the physical union the whole life is a 
preparation. Toward the sweet consumma- 
tion of marriage the dreams and ideals of the 
youthful heart flow like water to a fountain. 
So dreams the heart, of that glad day when 
the sense of separateness shall be dead and we 
shall be conscious of the one life within us — 
conscious of the universal christpower. 

There is truth as well as poetry in the old 
idea that Christ's church is His bride, and 
that the kingdom of heaven is like unto a 
bride adorned for her husband. As she longs 
for his presence and to be one with him, so 
our hearts long for spiritual union and to be 
one in the Great Love. 

Spiritual union! The sweetest consumma- 
tion of life. 

Would you know what spiritual life is? 

22 



It is union. When separateness is dead, we 
are at His right hand. "Where there are 
pleasures f orevermore. ' ' 

Real marriage is a step away from separate- 
ness. This is the greatest physical step to- 
ward union possible, and w T e would therefore 
expect love to be the greatest earthly joy. 
And so it is. 

Now self is the sense of separateness, and 
love is the greatest earthly blow to that sense. 
A marriage without love is a step into mis- 
ery, because the self cannot unite with an- 
other self. Person cannot unite with person. 
Only when love kills the sense of self-separate- 
ness, and shows that two are one. can a mar- 
riage be real. 

Love is not interested in taking unto itself 
— but its urge is to give. No woman need 
mourn because she finds the chosen partner of 
her joys and sorrows does not manifest all the 
male qualities — is not a complete man. She 
can still give him her love, and that giving 
is joy. 

The great truth is that no man is a man 
until he has completely conquered himself. 

23 



or, as some would say, outgrown selfishness. 
Until a man has conquered the swinish ele- 
ment in his own nature, he is not a man. 
Until he has conquered lust he is^not a man. 
Until he can control himself under all cir- 
cumstances he is not a man. 

The complete man loves with a strong fire. 
He loves femininity. His love is not that 
which desires to possess another person to 
love himself with, but he loves his Queen 
with a pure unselfish love. 

Personal sense has a desire which is not 
love, but its very opposite. Personal sense, 
building a wall around its possessions, some- 
times poses as love. This is not love but in- 
sult. The young girl sees her ideal in some 
man, but let her beware! His love, if he is 
not a whole man, is not love, but poison. 
Instead of finding her King she may find her 
assassin, for the sting of the man who has 
not conquered or grown out of self will prove 
a bitter awakening from the dream that such 
a man could really love. 

The spirit which woman loves pervades the 
strong natures who have conquered self. He 
is brave and strong but gentle. He could not 

24 



touch his Queen irreverently nor harm her in 
the smallest particular. 

This love is not mere passing fancy. It 
is a lifetime devotion. Man loves woman. He 
always has and he always will. That sweet 
spirit of his true mate always appeals to him. 

How lovely the spirit of woman is! What 
grace and balm she pours into man's waiting 
heart ! 

This is the joy of life — to the loving bride- 
heart of the great Universe, to give of your 
real life, pure love. And as you give, so the 
fountain will well up within you so that you 
can give more and more and more, pressing 
on to greater and greater joy. 

In the life impersonal, where the pride of 
intellect is thrown aside, where the mortal 
sense of love is seen in its true light and 
known for the monster it is, and where per- 
sonalities either of like or dislike are for- 
gotten, the radiance of real love shines in im- 
mortal glory. 

Here and now, on the solid Earth, we are 
spending eternity. It is no ethereal halo 
which glorifies the divinity of man, or the 
divinity of woman. Love is not a quality of 

25 



the imagination, but it is THE real thing. It 
is THE substance. Shutting our eyes to this 
fact in our self-conscious mortal wisdom we 
shut out the realities of everyday life. That 
nightmare or negative dream holds us spell- 
bound until love breaks through the clouds 
and we discover that our lives are really 
bathed in the sunshine of imperishable beauty 
and harmony. 

Man and woman are the bride and bride- 
groom of the Universe! These two Spirits — 
which two are one — are forever coming to- 
gether — forever loving. That love has no 
taint of self in it, nor can anyone consciously 
rise into that love till self be dethroned, de- 
based and destroyed. Until self dies Love 
cannot live in you. 

This message of love is not addressed to the 
self-conscious or mortal mind. Nothing can 
ever save self; and it can never even under- 
stand love. The self-conscious mind knows 
not liberty. It must be curbed and hedged 
about with laws, customs and duties. It has 
no right to love except in a certain channel, 
and even there its love is no love at all but 
desire. Out in the world of selfish ambitions 



liberty would be license. It is impossible to 
give the self freedom, for bondage itself is the 
thing that self or separateness is. 

The realization that love is all, and in all. 
makes us free. Then man becomes man, and 
his swaddling clothes — which he thought were 
him — drop off. 

Divine love is so wonderful that the fact 
that it IS seems too good to be true. And 
when self is dead and the Bridegroom meet- 
eth the Bride in the everlasting splendor of 
that great coming together, joy IS. Yes, 
joy is so great that our bodies could not bear 
it were not our strength regenerated by the 
omnipotent power of that same Divine love. 

The crown of Love is to him that over- 
cometh. The Queen of life cannot be loved 
by those who have not learned to love the very 
valley of humiliation itself. All kinds of 
pride — pride of race, pride of birth, pride of 
intellect, yes, even pride of your humble dis- 
position — must be trampled underfoot. If 
self could ever get into Life there would be 
nothing to leave behind or outgrow, it would 
only be necessary to train it up in the w r ay 
it should go — improving it here and educat- 

27 



ing it there. But a great battle is in progress. 
The monster of Seeming is in the lists against 
man. The queen of the tournament is the 
Queen of Life. He who conquers self, by 
loving, conquers all, and he is her King whom 
she loves. 

Love conquers hardships — when they are 
loved they are no longer hard. The real 
lover is the real conqueror, and when he comes 
to his Queen she crowns him with the fade- 
less crown of his sublime victory. That crown 
is Love. 

Love is the motive, love is the strength, love 
is the victory, and love is the reward. Of 
love, and to love, and in love are all realities, 
and when love becomes real to us we then 
have— and not till then— CONSCIOUS 
LIFE. 

This life is not up above the clouds. Here 
in the flesh Life manifests Itself, and here in 
the flesh we can feel, when we forget self, the 
palpitations of real love stirring within our 
fleshly bodies. 

Away with all imaginations! The realities 
of existence are here in our lives, in our bod- 
ies; they are now, and not in the past or 

28 



future. The sweet girl nature of the Uni- 
verse is the present substantial reality to the 
heart of man. She is not an imaginary crea- 
ture with wings, and lips too good or too ethe- 
real to be touched. She is his sweetheart, his 
bride. 

When we wake up to the Ever-presence 
there are pleasures forevermore. Not the 
pleasures of sense, but the immortal joys of 
love.. Not the joys of getting love, but the 
joys of loving. Loving is the most sublime 
joy conceivable. Loving IS joy. 

Real love is very rare and very precious. 
No words have been invented that can do it 
justice. The greatest works of song and story, 
reaching almost sublime heights, have caught 
but a feather from the wing of love. 

And as love is the feast of this outward 
life, so it is of the inner life. When the inner 
life espouses the Christ, the Great Love of 
Blessing, then through the whole being is 
diffused a sweet flush of joy. And that is the 
love that never faileth. 

No science has ever achieved the wonderful 
healing that is accomplished by love, and no 
eloquence can take the place of love. 

29 



"And though I understand 'all mysteries' 
and have not love, I am nothing. ' ' 

Love loveth ever, even without a return. 
Love "seeketh not her own." 
Beareth all things, endureth all things. 
Love is the greatest power in the universe. 



30 



CHAPTER III. 



WHAT LOVE IS NOT. 



My treatment is not magic, nor is it all 
powerful, to the exclusion of all other powers, 
nor can it foretell the future, nor can it ex- 
ert influence on anyone against his will. 

(a) It is not magic. It cannot cause a 
change, even to a slight extent, in your en- 
vironment, except by giving you the courage 
and strength to change it yourself. It can- 
not cause gold pieces to drop in your lap, nor 
change the weather, nor make your debtors 
pay you, or your creditors leave you alone. 
It is too near to you to work outside of you. 
It can only change your conditions by first 
changing you. It can make you the perfect 
instrument and perfect expression of love, 
but it can do nothing else. To be the perfect 
instrument and expression of love is to be 

31 



perfect in health, perfect in courage, perfect 
in endurance, perfect in patience, and perfect 
in capacity for knowledge. And it can only 
make you so by joining you unto itself. So do 
not expect to gain from my treatment any 
self-desires whatever. In this respect I am 
powerless, because there is no such thing as 
what we may term "outside influence." All 
the practitioners in the world, working unit- 
edly on the mind of one man, cannot at all 
affect him, unless he knows of the " treat- 
ment' ' and in some way responds to it. And 
so we need not fear the so-called "malicious 
animal magnetism" from without because? 
there is no such thing. Magic exists in the 
imagination alone. In other words, it exists 
within and not without. A friend can influ- 
ence us only by implanting in the mind (with- 
in) some thought. Fear can influence us only 
through the n^ind. So do not expect love to do 
anything external for you whatever, except 
by means of first giving you its perfect vital- 
ity, its perfect courage and its perfect pa- 
tience. 

,(b) It is not all-powerful. As far as hu- 
man relationship to it is concerned it presents 

32 



itself as finite, . as - the opposing force, strug- 
gling against evil. It is like a great person- 
ality having distinguishing qualities — and to 
have qualities, is to be bound by them. It has 
aims within finite time and not outside of it. 
It cannot order and change every external 
thing for our benefit, but it can and does in- 
spire the heart so to deal with those external 
things as to derive benefit from them. It will 
be the supremely important factor in your 
existence. It does not always attain to the 
highest results. In many directions it fails. 
Sometimes the conditions are too hard. Some- 
times it only partly succeeds. But in many 
eases it bursts forth into the most glorious 
radiance. When you are conscious of its 
presence you will experience an ineffable up- 
lifting. After that it may not always be able 
to make you conscious of its presence, but you 
will know that it is there. It may not be able 
to save you from death, but it will be with 
you as you face death. 

(c) My treatment is not vindictive. No 
matter if it be slighted forever it does not and 
cannot become grieved. It cannot be insulted 
or slandered. Always ready for you when 

33 



you are ready for it, however it may be 
scorned or refused from time to time ; though 
kicked out many, many times, it is always 
ready to creep in again when you will let it. 
It does not reward or punish the saint or 
the sinner or distinguish between them. It 
is ready to be with you when you are good 
and when you are bad. It does not crave your 
appreciation or care for your scorn. You can- 
not sin against it, and perhaps you cannot, 
after once feeling it, ever get permanently 
away from it. It cannot do anything harmful 
to anyone ; so that even if it could be grieved 
or angered it would be nothing to be afraid 
of. On the contrary, with it you become 
afraid of nothing, and full of courage. 



m 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE GROWTH OF LOVE 



More and more people are coming into the 
understanding of what this treatment is and 
are finding it more and more a close and in- 
timate friend. And it may be that some day 
it will lead mankind to perfect knowledge 
and a perfect oneness. But the future of this 
force is mere speculation. It is with us to- 
day in the conflict of life. It is by nature im- 
mortal and the immortal part of man. It is 
thought and steadfastness. It is courage. 

It is an experience. Men do not try to es- 
tablish by logic that it is real and effective; 
they tell their experience. More and more 
they are telling it to each other as one tells of 
a glorious event, or as one whispers the se- 
cret that a new and dear friend is found. 

When one experiences it, one feels as if it 

35 



were a sympathetic being touching one com- 
pletely; as if such being were one which was 
loved and trusted absolutely. And many more 
are coming into this consciousness; and when 
any one once is touched by it his life is 
changed. He is very sure that he has help to 
conquer the confusion and the evil within him 
and without. And it gives him an inward 
courage and lasting happiness. 

In fact this treatment comes as a wave of 
Courage itself. It is no abstraction; it is 
real. It is the Unity of man ; the oneness be- 
tween me and thee. It brings a change to 
the mind first, then to thft body. Until this 
change comes no language can make you un- 
derstand love. When it comes you know it 
for evermore. The fire has been kindled in 
your heart and the sun has arisen to your 
sight. , 

Those who so know it are ever increasing. 
Though some may die who know it, yet others 
receive it in increasing numbers. And it has 
a rejuvenating influence. It is always begin- 
ning and never ending ; it looks forward to the 
future ; it is Youth itself. 

More and more people are turning away 

36 



from self. This treatment — love — gives them 
the power to do so. 

As above stated, it is Youth itself. It has 
been likened to an invisible leader, ready to 
grow in power and knowledge. It leads us 
forward. Its history is all in the future. It 
points away from self toward the ideal of 
life. It faces for us the unknown chaos of 
the future and the sudden snares of life. It 
gives us confidence that it is leading us to a 
great victory. All that we have belongs to it. 
All claims that we may make, yes, all claims 
that any ruler or king may make, he must 
make as one who holds under, and serves, 
LOVE. 

And when the heart is touched by this 
treatment, when the great heart of central 
love touches one, then one becomes a knight 
in its service. One then takes sides in the 
world against any breaches of order, or of 
justice, or of good faith, and one becomes 
the servant and champion in the world of all 
principles that are loving. 

" Perfect love casteth out fear." And it 
wars against every side of the old Self. It 
will conquer all enemies, all misunderstand- 

37 



ing, all basenesses, all ineffectiveness, and it 
will finally conquer death in every form. 

Love is gaining ground in the affairs of 
men every day. And it means not only that 
it is to be acknowledged supreme in the af- 
fairs of the world, but it will be everywhere 
served. Every act by us, its servants, will be 
done as unto Love, and the very smallest act 
may be done with purpose single to the pur- 
poses of Love — the purpose of the develop- 
ment of ourselves and the race. 

This treatment will soon be spreading 
around the world. There are now a thousand 
streamlets that will soon join in a mighty 
current. Love will come to the world with 
a mighty rusli. Then it will lead us out of 
the black confusion of war, into the brother- 
hood of unity. 

One who has come in touch with thisj 
treatment continues his work in the world, 
but not as before. All waste will be elimi- 
nated. All the effort that formerly was futile 
will become effective, for Love casteth out all 
ineffectiveness. Money or worldly fame ceases 
to be the inducement of effort. Every effort 
is directed to the service of Love, and in that 

38 



service will the whole world, some sweet day, 
be joined. 

For whether man's aim be science, or phil- 
osophy, or art, or business, where he is in- 
spired by Love, it prospers far more than it 
could have prospered before. A change takes 
place in the spirit of the work, a fresh zeal 
and enthusiasm is felt, and Love's will is done. 

No one is excluded from this treatment by 
reason of his constitution or heredity or fun- 
damental nature. All are capable, sooner or 
later, of completely turning away from self. 
Yet some seem far, far away, and it may be 
long before they accept this regeneration. 
They seem to glory in their meanness and 
wickedness. Yet there are many paths which 
lead to humiliation and heart searchings, and 
it may be that some base, vile, cruel, hard- 
hearted being on two legs, called a man, is 
nearer the realization which comes from ex- 
periencing the futility of self, than is some 
other who is a respectable citizen. 

Some "sit" for treatment, and, not notic- 
ing any magic result, conclude that they are 
incapable of experiencing the wonderful re- 
sreneration of love. But they "sit*' in their 

39 



former ' ' receptive ' ' attitude— not suit en - 
dering Self and all it has and knows, but set- 
ting Self on the throne — and desiring the 
treatment only in the service of Self. 

Yet even they will one day feel the treat- 
ment turning them away from Self, and then 
they will experience the unity of Love which 
casteth out every ill. 

This treatment is in its beginning. Its face 
is toward the future. It is gathering force 
all the time. It will unite mankind in a com- 
mon aim— for the overthrow of the common 
enemy. Would two brothers continue their 
quarrel if both were attacked by a bear ? So 
mankind, when awakened to the fact that 
Self is an enemy, and that only by Love can it 
be overthrown, will cease quarreling among 
themselves and unite against the common foe. 
And after the victory over Self, the bonds of 
love binding us to each other will never loosen 
and we will come into our heritage of Oneness. 

So we will calmly look to the future in per- 
fect trust that the world will continually grow 
into greater spiritual unity. 

More and more the illumination takes pos- 

40 



session of us and we become more and more 
public-spirited. 

All history is nothing in comparison to the 
great possibilities of man. 

Untainted and uninfluenced by the past 
without advice and without reserve, the heart 
gives itself up to this treatment forever, and 
Love, the Original, gladly acts through it. 
Then it is glad. 

For the union of hearts in this treatment is 
ineffable in every moment, healing the wounds 
and effacing the scars of our discouragements ! 
Man becomes sure, once for all, that he will be 
taken care of, with a reliance so overwhelm- 
ing that all former hopes and fears are swal- 
lowed up. 

For this treatment cannot enter into your 
life on any other terms but that you give up 
Self entirely. You will belong to it wholly, 
or not at all. It comes to the rich and poor 
alike ; to whosoever will turn from Self. 

If your intellect be the expression of the 
Love force, you become a genius ; if your mus- 
cles, a giant of strength. But the greatest 
benefit of all is the awakening of the real 
spiritual perception. Muscular strength and 

41 



intelligence are only what you had before, 
only now in greater measure. But spiritual 
perception comes like a revelation and an ex- 
perience totally unlike any former one. There- 
after you radiate something new and won- 
derful and others recognize a change in you, 
as if you were suddenly elevated to a place 
above them. 

That Love is the immortal part of us is in- 
stantly perceived when we become its ser- 
vants. The present becomes infinite, and that 
old desire for separate immortality is seen for 
the Self-desire that it is — a finite, separate 
immortality in which the Self would reign as 
a King ! And so the infinite present of Love 
cannot be used to predict finite futures. It is 
already fixed that tomorrow's sun will rise, 
but there are many things that are not yet 
fixed; for example, what any man will here- 
after decide to do. To pretend to use Love as 
a predicting or "fortune-telling" power, is 
not to know Love. 

This treatment is the influx into the heart, 
of Love supreme. It is the highest event in 
nature, because Love then actually becomes 
that man whom it inspires. Such an event 

42 



is always attended by ineffable emotion. A 
thrill of delight unspeakable accompanies that 
influx. That moment becomes the turning 
point in life from which a new and wonderful 
horizon is seen. 

What that horizon is cannot here or any- 
where be told. For it expands before the 
eyes of those regenerated by Love in effects 
not capable of language. As one blind from 
birth cannot understand the language of col- 
ors, so no conception whatever of that new 
and wonderful horizon can be told or received 
— until it is seen! 

But that everyone will some day see it we 
can be sure, and that very soon ! 



■a:\ 



PART II— ALLEGED ENEMIES 



CHAPTER V 



THE ORIGIN OF EVIL. 



What was the origin of evil? Materialists 
would give one answer, students of mythology 
a second and theologians a third : 

(a) The Materialists' answer would be 
that originally there was nothing, except 
atoms of matter at a distance from each other 
absolutely still and absolutely cold. There 
were no governing principles or natural laws, 
only a tendency to exist. Age followed age 
and a hardly perceptible movement began 
among some of the atoms. This was the be- 
ginning of consolidation and temperature, 
which from the materialists' point of view 
was an improvement. So the first "ten- 
dency to exist" now became divided into two 

44 



tendencies, the tendency to exist unim- 
proved, and the tendency to improve. 

These two tendencies or wills have been 
opposing each other ever since and were born 
into all nature. Man, they say, developed by 
steps and stages from the earliest combina- 
tion of atoms, opposed at every stage by that 
portion of the universe, (or by that tendency 
to exist unimproved at all times animating 
toward him that portion of the universe), less 
advanced than himself. Thus the tendency 
to exist unimproved manifests itself, by ani- 
mating in lower life a hatred for the higher, 
and materialists have a theory that material 
germs, or low forms of life, flying through 
the air and entering the body of man, cause 
all diseases. Again, whether it be poison of 
the body or of the mind, it is this tendency, 
fighting man in the one case by lower forms 
of matter, in the other by suggestions of 
lower life. Sin, they say, is yielding to the 
spirit of unimprovement. 

When at last man was born, he became 
conscious of the struggle between these two 
tendencies, and alternately falling into the 
power of the one, and being inspired by the 

45 



pure idealism of the other, he has progressed, 
it is true, but stumblingly and haltingly, with 
the horde of tendencies just behind him, al- 
ways more and more powerful to pull him 
back into the abyss. Every stage of develop- 
ment left behind represents a separate ten- 
dency doing its best to draw us back to that 
stage. So as man progressed more and more 
he had more and more tendencies (the ma- 
terialists' devils) to contend with. 

The logical conclusion would be that the 
IDEAL is man's guardian angel and beastli- 
ness his devil. But we can not expect people 
calling themselves materialists to use other 
than material terms. 

(b) Students of mythology give a hundred 
fanciful personal names to the tendencies of 
both kinds. One kind were "gods" and the 
other kind demons or dragons. Both kinds 
were given offerings, the gods in order that 
they would befriend in time of need, and the 
dragons so that they would not devour the 
whole of the people. The offering to the 
dragon was very usually a maiden, some- 
times chained to a rock like Andromeda. It 
may be that the form of the dragon was sug- 

46 



gested by some survival of pterodactyl or 
dinosaurus, but in any event it was the an- 
cient type, the power of a past stage of de- 
velopment. On the other hand the " gods' 7 
were ideals. They were personifications of 
qualities, such as wisdom, swiftness, power, 
beauty, etc. Here again we have the eternal 
struggle between the bestial and the ideal, 
between the tendency of the dragon to exist 
and the tendency of man to rise. 

These gods were not all-powerful, nor were 
they the authors of evil. They usually caused 
good to come out of evil, but that was only 
in the sense of "making the best of a bad 
job." Progress, as represented by the mytho- 
logical gods, made good come out of evil by 
using evil as a brake, so that all phases of 
development should keep pace with each other 
and not one outrun the ' ' team. ' ' " Forward, 
but not too fast/' seems to have been its 
motto. The separate power of evil was known 
and recognized and no one denied its exist- 
ence. 

No one does now, as far as I know, except 
in a way, viz., some tell us to combat evil by 
denying its existence. The ordinary layman 

47 



naturally replies, "If It has no existence why 
combat it?" This answer does not feaze 
them in the least; they tell us to combat the 
seeming existence of evil by denying its real- 
ity. By its reality is meant its power to 
effectively prevent the advance, progress and 
development of man. And the student of 
mythology would hold this to be true as to 
the race and type, but not as to the individual. 
The gods, it was said, were powerless to save 
the royal line of Croesus to the throne of 
Media, nor could they help any individual 
after his fate, howsoever accidentally, had 
been pronounced. They did save Andromeda 
from the dragon, but that w r as a special dis- 
pensation, and besides, her fate had not been 
pronounced by the "Pythoness" or evil spirit 
of the Delphic oracle. 

It would seem then that only a very un- 
selfish man could ignore the existence of evil, 
which as far as he personally is concerned, 
is a threat of real and irreparable disaster, 
but he has the unselfish satisfaction of know- 
ing, tftat if such disaster should come upon 
him, or his loved ones, then, out of that 
disaster, the spirit of progress will cause no 

48 



harm to come to the race as a whole. I may 
fearlessly walk this earth, scorning accident, 
disease, misfortune, sorrow, pain, slander or 
death, if my mind is set only on the advance- 
ment, development, and progress of mankind 
as a whole. This, in a rational being, with a 
calculating, analyzing brain and a warm 
heart, could not be, unless he felt such a kin- 
ship to mankind as to be an indivisible part 
of the whole, inseparably allied to what he 
felt to be the one spirit of advancing life, and 
destined to live on, in that spirit, to and 
through what glorious development the 
future ages may have in store, regardless of 
what happens to his body, his individuality, 
his achievements or his loved ones. This is 
the height of unselfishness reached by those 
who sincerely deny the reality of evil. 

(c) Theologians say that in the beginning 
was the Logos, i. e., the Word, the Ideal, the 
Advancing One. There were in heaven, also, 
vast numbers of angels. These angels became 
divided into two bands and fought a mighty 
battle in heaven, when the band headed by 
the rebellious angel Lucifer was defeated and 
east out of heaven. However, the rebel an- 

49 



gels, now called devils, landed safely on the 
Earth, to which the straggle has been trans- 
ferred, and is now taking place in the heart 
of man. The demons of our age were angels 
of a bygone age. They were once loyal to the 
Word, but failing to keep up with their loy- 
alty it became necessary to declare war upon 
them, which war has been continued ever 
since. Every man hears "the voice of Jesus 
calling" on the one hand and is "tempted 
by the devil" on the other. Sometimes the 
devil assumes the form of an angel of light 
and deceives man. God, say the theologians, 
cannot prevent man from being deceived and 
tempted by the devil, but he can punish those 
who fall. The theologians are divided in 
their opinion as to the physical reality of 
eternal torture in Hell. Many leading and 
popular preachers do not believe in hell 
at all, while others preach all the horrors of 
the "lake of fire which burneth forever and 
ever, where their worm dieth not and their 
fire is not quenched." It may be that the 
idea of eternal and everlasting punishment 
first arose in contemplation of the serpent, 
which, as an animal, seems to be fixed, and 

50 



incapable of developing into anything higher 
For it to lose the capacity for development is 
an irrevocable sentence to stay as it is for 
eternity; it is a loss of birthright, never re- 
coverable. If the devil be the "tendency to 
exist unimproved," then such a fate is lit- 
erally falling into the clutches of the devil 
for ever and ever. 

Other races of vegetable and animal life 
seem to be "fixed." These are the races that 
have died the death eternal. The lizards and 
"missing links" of the past, now extinct, 
have not died in this worst sense because they 
have died but to live again in advanced forms. 
To become "fixed" would therefore be the 
worst death for a race. 

By the theologians, again, we are told to 
imitate the example of One who counted his 
own life as nothing that the race of man 
might be saved. A new ideal to which we 
shall press forward, though the individual 
may be despised, rejected and slain. Thus, 
and only thus, they say, can we overcome in 
that terrific conflict still being waged between 
the forces of good and evil. Here again no 
thinking man can be ready to sacrifice all for 

51 



that Divine Ideal unless he feels a Oneness 
with the race, a vital gladness in the thought 
of its advancement and a consciousness that 
his real ego is identical with the imperishable 
Logos. 



Here, then, we have three distinct histories 
of the origin of evil, but the difference be- 
tween them, from an analytical point of view, 
is more a matter of names and of person- 
ifications than of substance. Men have just 
as gladly laid down their lives to fight the 
evils seen by science, and to fight the dragons 
imagined by mythology, as they have for the 
sake of the ideals of religion. As far as the 
individuals were concerned, they went down, 
but who shall say that one single one of those 
deaths was in vain, for the advancement of 
the race and the glory of those ideals for 
which they died? 

No one can escape the conflict with evil. 
No one can be sure that he will not suffer and 
die in that conflict. The most one can do is 
to forever refuse to surrender. 

The theory of the constant advancement of 

52 



the race being the Good tendency or power, 
involves the necessity for the simultaneous 
and spontaneous birth, in every being born, 
of an Ideal. 

The Ideal, thus incarnated, seems an im- 
perishable picture, or image, of an advance- 
ment not yet realized. 

This Ideal is the soul. Now, if a race 
should be born without that Ideal, all prog- 
ress would cease and the race become i i fixed, ' ? 
because century after century might pass and 
still the race, without the Ideal, could not ad- 
vance, for the Ideal is the only spark of ad- 
vancement, and without it the race would 
fall forever into the power of the Tendency 
to exist unimproved. 

This brings us to the proposition, that one 
animated by soul will never find his or her 
ideal man or woman. For the Ideal im- 
planted in the breast is not for the purpose 
of comparison with the race as it is now, but 
for the purpose of being born in the flesh, and 
to be realized in the next, or in future gen- 
erations. 

Theologians tell us that man is the only 
animal endowed with Soul or Ideal. Man is 

53 



the only animal now advancing — and all 
other animals are " fixed," not possessing 
that eternal spark of the Logos or Ideal. 



Those who cannot see that there are any 
evil powers, or that there could be any power 
except the "all-powerful good," find it diffi- 
cult to explain the accidents, horrors and 
calamities which befall even the "righteous." 

That "good" is all-powerful, in the way the 
word "omnipotent" was first used, may be 
admitted ; namely, that it is a stronger power 
than evil, and will win in the end. But the 
thoughtful man will not of himself evolve a 
theory blaming every accident or other ad- 
verse event upon the "good" power, nor will 
he of himself think that such are "visitations 
of the wrath of God," or are sent to us by 
the Divine will because they are "good for 
us." It obviously would not be necessary, 
to an omnipotent power, to destroy a city by 
fire, or sink a boat-load of innocent excursion- 
ists, in order to teach to the bereaved the 
doctrine of patience. Neither would He do 
evil that good might come if He were omni- 
potent good. Again, by the standard of right 

54 



and wrong implanted in the human breast, 
it would not be possible for the Ideal Good 
to have wrath, or to destroy our lives to ap- 
pease it; and Bible students tell us that the 
Hebrew word translated ■ ' wrath, ' ? should 
more properly have been translated merely 
as a synonym for power. 

Neither would it be possible that the 
Divine Good should be the author of what 
mental aberration in ourselves or kinks in 
our environment, are translated by the words 
"sin, sickness and death." 

Although these things are not real in this 
sense, namely, that they will not conquer in 
the end, yet to those who suffer humiliation 
through sin, as well as to those who feel the 
"claims" of sickness and those who are be- 
reaved by the "claims" of death, these 
things are very real, as real as anything that 
comes to their consciousness. Whether the 
cause of them be the evil influence of the 
tendency or will to exist unimproved, or the 
evil influence of demons or devils, the re- 
sult is the same. The opposing WILL, adverse 
to mankind, is the power ever laying its hands 
upon us in hate and attempting to draw us 

55 



back into everlasting death. That adverse 
will, although less powerful in the end than 
the will of the Ideal or christpower, is still 
a belligerent and must be recognized as 
such, whether we personify it under various 
names according to its various aspects or not. 
The battle ground is everywhere. Bach one 
knows the phase of the great adversary most 
pressing against him. To the materialists, no 
less than to the idealists, the battle is a real 
one. The difference is one largely of names 
and personifications. 

Should we then fold our hands because we 
believe good will triumph over evil in the 
end? 

Can we supinely surrender to the evil 
powers now, in the knowledge that in any 
event the human race will not be injured by 
our cowardice, because the Power of Good is 
able to bring good out of evil ? 

Those are the questions which each one has 
to honestly face in his own heart and much 
depends, for him, on the answer that he gives. 

Man's body is the temple of the living 
Logos or Word. Man's soul, the only I am, 
is that Logos. In any event the (C I am" 

56 



within us will overcome evil in the end, but 
because the battle with the old self 
threatens that sense, which we have, of indi- 
vidual or separate life, we must not individ- 
ually or separately surrender. 



57 



CHAPTER VI 



THE SECRET POWER 



Materialists hold that matter in small par- 
ticles is all that exists, and that by a peculiar 
arrangement these small particles " organize' ' 
into flesh and blood. They do not believe in 
" influences/ ' good or bad. They do not 
believe that Christ "cast out" devils, or now 
can ; and yet they believe that these infinitely 
small invisible particles, called electrons, 
knoiv ivhere to go, and by the force of their 
own knowledge and will, form themselves into 
atoms also so small as to be invisible, of vari- 
ous different substances. They say, ' ' nothing 
exists but electrons." Then, they say, those 
atoms of various substances combine in vari- 
ous proportions to make ' ' molecules ' ' and 
that thousands of molecules make a simple 
cell, and that such cells form muscle, blood 

58 



and brain. None of them have ever seen, in 
the strongest microscope, an electron, an 
atom, a molecule, or such a cell. But because 
they consider some material theory necessary, 
they say those invisible things make up the 
universe. 

As to the question of how thought is pro- 
duced, the scientists were formerly divided. 
Many owned they were puzzled on this point, 
but they now all agree that those invisible en- 
tities which they call electrons are able, in 
some mysterious way, to segregate themselves ; 
then, seeming to know where to go, these 
electrons form combinations in our bodies 
which produce thought, will, idealism and 
even love. 

An invisible entity that knows where to go, 
and produces thought by its combinations in 
our bodies, is the present belief of material- 
ists, and is the modern successor of the ancient 
belief that "a million devils could dance on 
the point of a needle/' 

Materialists admit that sometimes these 
electrons, or ions, start going the wrong way, 
bringing all kinds of trouble. Their problem 
then is how to get rid of them. They say that 

,59 



if a finer, stronger, electrical force could be 
brought to bear, the electrons which had de- 
termined to go the wrong way, could be 
driven out of the system, curing all ills, men- 
tal and physical. 

A little thought, and we will discover that 
these are precisely the same impressions as 
others receive, but under different names. 

Let the scientists conceive of those influ- 
ences which they feel, as invisible "ions,'' 
running riot of their own perverted will, 
within them. They are then in exactly the 
same helpless fix as if they superstitiously 
conceived them to be "demons" — until that 
superior POWER is invoked which can con- 
quer. 

In other words, it makes no difference, 
either in the suffering, or the remedy, whether 
they name the Influences "ions" or "de- 
mons," or what they name the POWER that 
saves them. 

All peoples, nations, churches and schools, 
are converging toward a common understand- 
ing of the influences that affect the lives of 
men. Whether they are called electrons, 
ions, manias, demons, or spirits, there is a 

60 



common knowledge of their inferior power, 
and a common instinct that somewhere there 
is a SUPERIOR POWER which can cast 
them out. 

"Influences" are said to be living, in- 
visible beings. In all races their power has 
early been felt, and they are now recognized 
universally under various names, such as 
"obsessions," "guides," "spirit forces," 
"Elementals" and "Earth spirits." 

Man has always felt himself in slavery to 
these " influences, " and it will be well to 
consider not only the universal experience of 
mankind in ages past but also the present 
feeling of every tribe and nation of primi- 
tive people. Such feelings seem to have come 
spontaneously and identically to far separated 
nations, indicating that there is something, 
whatever we may call it — some influence, 
which those peoples actually feel. 

So it was from the earliest dawn of his- 
tory. Influences (or perhaps it would be 
more correct to say "Phases of the Self") have 
always been felt. Even before the ancient 
Aryan migration the primitive people of the 
East superstitiously called them "demons." 

61 



' ' In the beginning there was, ' ' saith an an- 
cient writing, "but one man, and there came 
to tempt him, one demon. Men died, but de- 
mons did not die, and each generation was 
oppressed by its own demons and also by those 
of the generations which went before."* 

Allatau was the name given the Queen of 
Hell by the Babylonians, and Namtar was 
the name given the plague demon who 
brought sickness and disease. Their secret 
names were engraved on certain "tablets of 
destiny," which, it was believed, would there 
after come into the possession of ONE who 
would have power over Allatau and Namtar, 
by virtue of the knowledge of that secret 
name, and of the secret name of Ea or God. 
Tiamet was another name for the Queen of 
Demons, who was also the foster mother of 
the terrible influences which were supposed 
to stultify the brain. Tiamet was identical 
with "Behemoth" and with "Ishtar the 
Daughter of Sin," who came to men in 
dreams to tempt them. She also is identical 
with Astarte. 



*Attributed, perhaps erroneously, to Hecataeus, 
who was accorded by Herodoties the honor of 
being the first historian. 

62 



Shutu, the demon of tempest and war, was 
identical with Abaddon. 

The struggle of man against influences 
is the whole history of the world. Every re- 
ligion has been an organized effort to "cast 
out devils"; every war has been a temporary 
ascendency of influences, every progress has 
been accompanied by progressive influences, 
so that "Evil" can be said to have progressed 
no less than civilization. 

The Bhuddists in India sought to combat 
the evil influences which oppressed their 
lives. These influences were then called 
"Asuras." It is still believed by some that 
these ancient influences are dwelling with 
us, invisible, malevolent and powerful. Also 
that many other and younger spirits afflict 
mankind and now threaten to destroy us ut- 
terly. * 

But for the christpower, it would be ter- 
rible to know of these awful aspects of the 
Self. Such knowledge would drive the strong- 
est unaided human brain insane. Knowledge 
of the truth without acceptance makes the 
mind peculiarly susceptible to the influence 
of Self. It fastens itself gradually upon you, 

63 



brings dreams and imaginings, seems to set 
the rest of the world against you, and tor- 
ments you into insanity and death. 

It is not " truth" which will have these 
awful consequences, but your deliberate ne- 
glect to accept the christpower. 

The ancient Persians recognized the op- 
pressions of influences, and separated them 
into classes, superstitiously calling the most 
oppressive one "Ahriman," and the twenty- 
eight next worse, devs. "Ahriman then cre- 
ated an infinite number of evil spirits and 
made an egg containing the forces of spirits 
of darkness.' ' 

All these forces or " influences " slip into 
the body, according to the superstition and 
produce all diseases; and into the mind and 
produce all malice. It was declared that 
ultimately One would arise, having power over 
all those spirits, devs and influences, and 
free mankind. 

That these superstitions all arose from the 
consciousness of such influences, there can 
be no doubt, and it is equally certain that 
every such influence still exists — as much 
alive today as ever — and subject only to the 
64 



exercise of christpower — to which alone it 
must bow. 

In the ancient Egyptian system the name 
given to the chief influence was "Set." 
Here again there were a host of spirits, each 
one powerful over man in some particular 
direction and destined to torture him until 
the day should dawn when the ( ' Master spirit 
should arise, put down all other spirits and 
free mankind from their power." 

In ancient Greece, according to Empedo- 
cles,* the influence of a host of malevolent 
demons was felt, each one of a different grade. 



*Empedocles flourished in Sicily before the 
Peloponnesian war. His works were philosophical 
in tone. He was the first philosopher to discover 
the principle that "you can only see earth through 
having earthy eyes," etc. He elaborates the idea 
that impurities can only be perceived through im- 
purity, "and love through love and hate through 
doleful hate." 

The part of his work relating to demons covers 
a number of the so-called fragments which have 
been preserved. The fragment usually numbered 
121, begins as follows: 

drepirea x^P 0V , %vOa $6vos re Kotos ■ (etc.) 

Which may be freely translated : 

"A joyless land is ours where the spirits of 
Slaughter and Grudge, and troops of Dooms and 
Glooms, and shriveling Disease Spirits and hor- 
rible Decay Fiends wander everywhere," etc. 

65 



but all destined to plague man, from which 
plague it was supposed no relief could be 
obtained. 

Alexandrian philosophers gathered from 
every known country the experiences of man, 
and combined all the systems or tables of 
Earth spirits in one. In this table were clas- 
sified thirteen kinds of demons. 

First, False Gods, whose Prince is Beelze- 
bub. 

Second, Slandering spirits, whose head is 
Apollyon. 

Third, inventors of mischief and creators 
of anger, whose Prince is Belial. 

Fourth, malicious revenging devils, whose 
Prince is Asmodeus. 

Fifth, devils which blind men to the truth 
of their manhood, whose Prince is Satan. 

Sixth, devils who corrupt the air and cause 
plagues and diseases, whose Prince is Mere- 
sin. 

Seventh, the destroyer, causing wars, tu- 
mults, misunderstandings, uproars, etc., whose 
name is Abaddon. 

Eighth, the accusing, calumniating devils 

66 



that drive men to despair whose Prince is 
Diabolis. 

Ninth, the devils who tempt men to hoard 
gold, and love it, holding before them a false 
vision of more gold, leading them ever into 
want and failure, whose King is Mammon. 

Tenth, Moloch, Prince of tears, pressing 
down on men all sorrows and disappoint- 
ments. 

Eleventh, devils who work injustice, whose 
Prince is Lucifer. 

Twelfth, spirits who cause the best inten- 
tioned plans to fail, the demons of "bad 
luck," whose Prince is Antichrist. 

Thirteenth, spirits who deaden the intel- 
lect and perception, who make man speechless 
when he should speak, or make him speak 
foolishly when he would have better kept 
quiet ; their Queen is Astarte — she also comes 
in dreams, with her legion of incubi and suc- 
cubi. 

It may be from these thirteen kinds of 
influences, bringing thirteen kinds of evils, 
that the number "13" first was known as 
"unlucky." 

However, it is sure that all those kinds of 

67 



influences still exist as different aspects of 
the Self, though we no longer call them f ' dev- 
ils.' ' Let us deny, if we can, that Beelzebub, 
Apollyon, Belial, Asmodeus, Satan, Meresin, 
Abaddon, Diabolis, Mammon, Moloch, Lucifer, 
Antichrist and Astarte are the right names 
of those invisible influences that enslave and 
torture man today; yet no man on looking 
within, on his own tortured soul, or without, 
on the injustice and disappointments of the 
world, can deny that these influences are as 
potent today as they ever were — that they are 
strong in the high places of the earth — and 
that the fulness of time is at hand, when the 
christpower, exercised humbly by ITS ser- 
vant — when that power — and in all humility 
I say it — SHALL cast them out ! 

These names of the thirteen powers of evil 
always had a measure of psychic power, but 
besides these names, there were secret names 
for each. Each secret name, if uttered, was 
supposed to bring on immediate correspond- 
ing disaster. Even now a curious mental ef- 
fect is produced by the mere utterance of the 
ordinary names of the thirteen ' ' powers. ' ' 

One of the secret names was referred to by 

68 



Jacob Boehm, and to him was given a very 
large measure of the christpower; but he 
declared "that he could not, without peril to 
his soul, disclose the secret name of Lucifer, 
so tremendous would be the consequences. ' ' 

Many writers have gathered data of the 
influences felt in the so-called dark ages. 
Of the books so compiled, one of the most in- 
structive is "La Sorciere, " by J. Michelet, a 
copy of which is still to be found at the Con- 
gressional Library at Washington. Accord- 
ing to those writers the pervading demons 
were those who entered into women and trans- 
formed them into witches. Michelet quotes 
forty other authors all to the same effect. 



"Every time great hate was caused by great 
oppression and this great hate mingled, in the 
soul of a woman with her natural great love, 
a new devil was felt to be born in her. 

"Who says the old devils are dead? They 
must be still alive. Where are they? In the 
desert, on the moor, in the forest? Ay; but 
above all in the house. People felt themselves 
to be double, felt that other within them, be- 
came wasted and weakened more and more, 
and the weaker grew their wretched bodies, 

69 



the more they were worried by the devils. In 
women, especially, these tyrants dwell. 

"And not ourselves only, but all nature, 
alas ! becomes demoniac. If there is a devil in 
a flower, how much more in the gloomy for- 
est! That divine morning Star, whose glori- 
ous beams not seldom lightened a Socrates, an 
Archimedes, a Plato, what is it now become? 
A devil, the arch field Lucifer. In the even- 
time again, it is the devil Venus who draws me 
into temptation by her light so soft and 
mild. Again, when feudal powers were form- 
ing, there was here and there an independent 
soul who tilled his own land and held it, not 
under another man, but aa a freeholder. He 
was the especial mark of spirits. His land 
would bear nothing, spirits swept it clean by 
nights. There was felt the hoggish spirit of 
Satan. Men were made serfs, without hope of 
resisting despair — and so the hate was dis- 
tilled, that, mingled with the love of fireside, 
begat the little devils in the world that now 
have grown big, and storm and rage. And 
because women bore the hardest terrors of 
that terrible time, so it was mostly in women 's 
souls that those little devils were born." 



In France they were called goblins, in 
Switzerland trolls, and in Germany Kobolds 
or nixies. The woman says at first, "What 



70 



matters ? He is so small, \ \ and Michelet adds 
this significant question, ''Should we too 

FEEL REASSURED, WE WHO CAN SEE MORE 
CLEARLY ? ' ' 

"The influence of Satan arose out of an 
overwhelming despair, under the weight of 
dreadful outrages and dreadful sufferings. 
Before the will could be reduced to the dread- 
ful pass of selling itself to Satan forever, it 
must be made thoroughly desperate. It was 
needed the pressure of the age of iron, of 
cruel deeds; it was needful that hell itself 
should seem a shelter, an asylum, by contrast 
with the hell on earth. In the year 1300, the 
feudal lord' first demanded payment in gold, 
the influence of the demon Mammon gain- 
ing ascendency in that year. The world was 
changed. All were desperate, then the little 
fireside demon of Satan whispers to the 
woman's heart that God has forsaken her, 
that earth is hell, that she should give herself 
to him, and he will help her against the world. 
This is the origin of Witchcraft, a madness 
so universal in the dark ages that even in our 
own time some remnants remained over, down 
fror€- those middle centuries. f? 



Michelet gives the name Leviathan to the 
leading demon of trickery and . evil speaking. 

71 



He adds that in the 16th century there were 
6500 Leviathan devils in a girl named Made- 
line, used by certain persecutors to give false 
evidence against those accused of witchcraft. 

In Webster's work on the subject,* a case 
is given, with every appearance of authentica- 
tion, of a child who accidentally overhead 
an exorcist pronounce the secret name of 
Abaddon, one of the so-called Princes of evil. 
The child afterwards repeated the word over 
and over till such lightnings were induced 
from the sky that the whole village was, like 
Sodom, destroyed. 

There was known to be a hidden name of 
God, which should be revealed to whom He 
chose in due season. That One was to come, 
who, by virtue of that Hidden name, w T ould 
know the secret names of every kind of de- 
mon. Solomon was supposed to possess a sig- 
net ring with that hidden name of God en- 
graved upon it, which gave him command of 
the spirits. The Jewish historian, Josephus, 
assures us that God taught Solomon the se- 
cret names by which demons were to be ex- 
pelled and diseases healed. But the Name 



♦Referred to in 5 Am. Cyc. 795. 

72 



was lost for a time until Christ came, and 
the christpower. Not by any personal merit 
could the revelation of that Name be obtained. 
It was a Name of power, and was revealed on- 
ly in order that, in the fulness of time, it 
should have that effect which should be the 
WILL OF GOD. 

A review of history shows that the madness 
now afflicting the w r orld is only one of a 
sequence of general obsessions. 

One madness was lycanthropia, which be- 
gan about 1200 A. D., and spread until to- 
ward the end of the sixteenth century. Op- 
pressed by this "madness of satan, " men 
believed they were wolves, day work was de- 
moralized and the population could be found 
prowling around at night, howling and fight- 
ing. This obsession spread through the 
whole of central and southern Europe, but by 
the year 1598 a reaction began ; men who had 
"recovered' ' persecuted those who were still 
"mad/' thousands were put to death; one 
judge alone, in the district of the Jura, put 
600 lycanthropes to death. 

During the same period a strange dancing 

73 



madness broke out. On July 1, 1374, the 
whole population around Aix-la-Chapelle 
rushed into the city and began to dance. 
They danced in circles with the utmost vio- 
lence, till at last they sank to the ground, 
groaning fearfully. According to the his- 
torians, the victim seemed to see spirits of the 
air, and called out the secret name of the 
demon Meresin; all who heard that original 
name immediately became afflicted with the 
same disorder, and danced, as if by compul- 
sion, till they, in their turn fell down ex- 
hausted, and called out, in their turn, that 
they had seen the awful spirit whose secret 
name they announced, thus bringing still 
others into the snare. In that way the disease 
spread in a few months over the north of 
Europe. Those who came, incredulous, to 
witness the phenomenon, were themselves 
seized, the moment they heard the secret 
name of Meresin, with an irresistible impulse 
to dance, and they became dreadfully ecstatic 
in their turn. It was literally the " dance of 
death," and swept the country like a scourge, 
till, two centuries later, the secret name of 
Meresin was said to have lost its power for a 

74 



season, and no more victims were fascinated 
by the contagion. 

Persecution followed, as usual, and, one 
would think, the influence inspiring the per- 
secution was no less a demon than that be- 
witching the dancers. One class of the people 
were afflicted with what we may call the 
Meresin influence, and the other with the 
Asmodeus influence — causing stern, cruel, 
avenging persecution of those who are deemed 
to be "possessed"; but the avengers were 
themselves possessed no less than the others, 
though differently. Asmodeus is assuredly 
as bad as Meresin ! 

In our own time, by the ripening of forces, 
or by the development of secret powers, the 
world is given over to the triplet madnesses of 
war, disease, and lucre. The influences, 
called of old by the names of Abaddon, Mere- 
sin and Mammon, have more seeming power 
in this day and age than ever before. 

There is also a madness of disease oppress- 
ing mankind, the like of which has never ap- 
peared before. The individual who is really 
free from pains and aches is an exception. 

75 



They are classified as fevers, colds, nerve 
pains, liver complaints or what not. 

Many people believe themselves to be well, 
who have become so accustomed to the in- 
fluence that they can stand it without com- 
plaining. Patience has been learned by them 
to such an extent that they can now be patient 
under their bodily troubles as a matter of 
course. To them even one day of real freedom 
would be a revelation of joy. 

It is the fashion among the comparatively 
well to pretend to perfect health. Others, 
even while suffering, reason that since there 
is a God causing omnipresent good, no evil 
can be real; ergo, the suffering must be an 
obsession of the mind. This obsession, or 
spirit, oppressing them, they claim, is very 
sensitive, and if its real existence be denied, 
it will vanish. Hence it becomes right and 
necessary for them to deny that they feel 
pains or aches or feel oppressed or sick. With 
them it is largely a matter of definition. 
They, too, will admit, when the right words 
are used, that the " claims" of disease and 
pain are more numerous than ever before. 

Again, this day and age is one of money- 

76 



madness. Nearly all are short of money ; they 
are not in privation, but "in want/' No 
matter how much one has he feels a want for 
more. Mammon dances before him with a 
flickering light, ever promising, never fulfill- 
ing, and those whose souls are most strongly 
bound to this influence never get the money 
independence they so anxiously crave: Blind 
is the money-mad world, blind, blind! How 
foolish to think that, by spiritual slavery, 
physical independence can be achieved ! We 
hear of those with wealth untold. If they 
really have all they want, they are the few 
who are free from this influence. Mammon 
says, "Worship me, and I will make you 
rich," but alas for those credulous enough to 
believe it ! Every opportunity slips from 
their grasp ; none of their plans or dreams 
come true, and those who owe them money 
are by this influence prevented from paying 
it. For this is the influence that drives 
men crazy with the love of money. Seemingly 
cunning enough to know that if its victim gets 
plenty of money, he is not so likely to be en- 
thralled, the influence prevents him from 
ever attaining. Like a will-o'-the-wisp, it 

77 



ever leads on, never arriving, pretending to 
invite to a feast of golden fruitage, and in- 
stead dashing its victims over a precipice of 
debt, disappointment and despair. 



78 



CHAPTER VII. 



LITERATURE ON INFLUENCES. 



Sir Walter Scott left a collection of letters 
on demonology and witchcraft, asserting that 
' i the universal belief of the inhabitants of the 
earth in the existence of spirits is grounded 
on the consciousness that speaks in our 
bosoms." 

"The Celtic tribes possessed, in common 
with all others, a tendency to the worship of 
the evil principle — and there are many still 
alive who, in childhood, have looked with 
wonder on certain patches of ground left un- 
cultivated because, whenever a plowshare en- 
tered the soil, the Elementary spirits were 
supposed to testify their displeasure by storm 
and thunder." 



R. C. Thomson, by researches in ancient 
parts of the world, has collected photographs 
of ancient clay tablets originally written in 

79 



the Sumerian language of Mesopotamia. 
They are all invocations against influences. 
Part of number IX may be translated : 

Invoke the great God, 

That the evil spirit, the evil demon, evil 
ghost, 

Fever and the heavy sickness which is in 
the body of the man, 

May be removed and go forth! 

0, evil spirit! O, evil demon! 0, evil 
ghost ! 

0, sickness of the heart ! 

0, Heartache! 0, Headache! 0, Tooth- 
ache ! O, Namtar ! 

Be ye cast out! 

"In Egypt, " says T. Witton Davies,* 
"Disease was considered due to demons, and 
certain formulae, when recited, drove the 
demons out." 

Now, in every land, the belief in evil spirits 
is universal. Among the Chinese, Drayid- 
ians, Arabs, Singalese, etc. 

In the early Church, infant baptism origi- 
nated in the view that until baptism the child 
was in the power of an evil spirit. 



♦"Magic," published by de Laurenc-Scot Co. 
80 



In the book of Tebit of the Apocrypha, the 
first mention of the demon Asmodeus is made 
under that name, and it is told that he killed 
seven men but that Tobias overcame him and 
drove him into Egypt. 

Demons may now be designated according 
to the diseases they induce. 

Among the Assyrians, demons were at first 
named after diseases due to them. After- 
wards the name became the same for the dis- 
ease and the demon. 

"To the innumerable company of demons 
belong the seven evil spirits whose names and 
full character are mysterious. They sow the 
seeds of discord in family life. 

"To bring about strife, quarrels and war, 
is their delight. There is no disease which 
they may not induce. All conceivable ills 
they produce and promote. " 

Demons were also believed by the Egyp- 
tians, as by others, to bring about sickness, 
death and all sor]ts of misfortunes. 



A. E. Waite has compiled a large book of 
the history and description of the names 
given in times past to the various influences. 
In this book, entitled ' ' Black Magic, ' ' he 
gives the words of each ritual whereby the 
actual apparition of each spirit e:m be in- 

81 



voked, warning readers against using them 
by saying that ' * to the extent that these proc- 
esses are practical — and it would be absurd 
to suppose that the seering processes of 
ancient magic did not produce seership— they 
are dangerous. " 

i ' There can be no extensive literatures with- 
out motives proportionate to account for 
them. The literature referring to the influ- 
ences as demons is exceedingly large. 

"A great many of these works are collec- 
tions of religious charms against demons. 

"The i Grand Grinmore' claims to be the 
magnum opus, the greatest book of the world 
— the priceless treasure, King Solomon's own 
writing. What other man would have had 
the hardihood to reveal the withering words 
which God makes use of to strike terror into 
the demons and compel them to obedience? 
He soared into heaven and learned the secret 
words of power; he penetrated the remotest 
haunts of demons and forced them to obey 
him. 

"The three strongest demons were Lucifer, 
Beelzebub and Astaroth (or Astarte). Then 
Lucifuge Eofocale, Avho was identical with 
Mammon, and Baal and many others, all of 
whom as far as the influences which reached 
and affected man were concerned, were 

82 



capable of being segregated into the same 
thirteen classes now recognized. 

"The principal exorcism was the pronun- 
ciation of the secret name, ADONAI." 



In the Book of the "Sacred Magic/' trans- 
lated from the original Hebrew into French 
and thence into English by MacGregor 
Mathers,* the names of 328 demons are given, 
of which 316 are divided into twelve groups, 
and the other twelve are superior. These 
names are headed with the names of Lucifer, 
Satan and Belial — with Leviathan (identical 
with Apollyon) and Astaroth, Asmodeus and 
Beelzebub. The original author, "Abraham 
the Jew,"' adds: 

"Infinite be the Spirits which I could have 
here set down but I have thought fit to put 
only those whom I have myself experienced. 

' ' In the name of the most Holy Adonai, the 
true and only God I pray and conjure you to 
be the declared enemy of all the evil spirits 
during the whole of your life. 

"The rage of the demons is so great and 
their grief so poignant at the advancement of 



*See Manuscript in the Bibliotheque de l'Arsenal 
at Paris. 

83 



the human race and their own degradation, 
that there is no evil which they will not be 
ready to work, they being always attracted 
by the idea of the destruction of humans. 7 ' 



Daniel Defoe, in a very old volume which 
may still be seen at the British Museum, says 
that the demon Abaddon first appeared to an 
Arabian in the court of one of the most 
ancient of the Pharoahs and told him to fore- 
tell that the Ethiopians were about to attack 
Egypt, like a big black elephant, and advise 
the King to make war first in anticipation. 



M. D. Conway has written two large vol- 
umes on Demonology, which can be obtained, 
if not now out of print, from Holt & Co., of 
New York. 

" Every degree of ascent pf the moral 
nature, he says, has been marked by innum- 
erable new shadows cast athwart the mind 
and life of man. Every new heaven of ideas is 
followed by a new earth, but ere this con- 
formity of things to thoughts can take place, 
struggles must come and the old demons w T ill 
be recalled for new service. 

"The demonization of diseases is not won- 
derful. To thoughtful minds not even science 

84 



has dispelled the mystery of disease and lia- 
bility to contagion. A genuine observation 
by primitive man is bound to suggest a con- 
nection between diseases and unseen influ- 
ences. 

"In the legend of Hariscandra, martyr to 
truth, the Indian prototype of Job, not the 
least of the martyr's trials was the attack 
upon him by a great horde of demons in the 
desert. 

"In the time of Paul the dark problem of 
the origin of evil and its continuance in the 
universe still threw its impenetrable shadow- 
across the human mind. It was a terrible 
reality. 

"Rabbinical lore had repeated again and 
again that in the beginning, Samael, (identi- 
cal with Abaddon), was the fiery serpent; 
Lilith (identical with Astarte), the crooked 
serpent, and from their union were born 
Leviathan, Asmodeus, and all other evil in- 
fluences. 

"But no ancient writing gives a theory or 
explanation of the origin of evil. Although 
the Assyrians and Jews both believed that 
there was a revolt in heaven, we find no ade- 
quate intimation of the motive by which the 
rebels were actuated. The theory which Mil- 
ton has made so familiar; that Lucifer as- 
pired to take the place of Jehovah, must, 

85 



however, have been popular in the time of 
Isaiah." 

It seems that this writer agrees in the last 
analysis with scientists and philosophers gen- 
erally. 

The devils are the personifications of the 
will to live in any form, unadvanced, who first 
in heaven fought a great battle against the 
will to live in advanced forms, and were 
cast out to the Earth, where they oppose 
man — because man is capable of advance- 
ment — redemption — and eventual glorifica- 
tion, whereas the personification of the wil> 
to live in unadvanced form can never rise ; 
hence the significance of the curse to the 
garden of Eden tempter: "On thy belly 
shalt thou go," forever. 

"The dismal conditions now between na- 
tions, he adds, (writing in the 70s), seem to 
have so little root in political necessity that 
even now one might dream that the subtle 
influence comes from the red planet Mars 
that has approached the earth. ' ' 

In Gnosticism, some explanation of the ex- 
istence of evil influences is attempted. In 
the beginning existed Bythos (the Depth) : 

86 



his first emanation and consort was Eunoia 
(Thought): their first daughter is Spirit; 
their second Wisdom. Wisdom's emanations 
are two — one "Ideal," the other "Material." 
Here again we heve the two opposing 
forces, the Ideal, looking toward advance- 
ment and development, and the Material, 
looking toward the perpetuation of unad- 
vanced forms. 

"These two forces the Gnostics personified 
as Christ and the World. After the Material 
goddess had created the Earth, Wisdom, the 
mother of the Ideal, transferred to man a ray 
of that divine light. 

"The Material Will, finding that man had 
the divine spark impossible for the Material 
spirit to obtain, became enraged with a terri- 
ble envy and took form as a serpent, and the 
name of Samael. And by magical power im- 
prisoned mankind in the dungeon of Matter, 
from the woes of which he can only be freed 
by the Ideal or Christ." 

The Material will, was to Paul, i ' the Prince 
of the power of the Air/' and it is not won- 
derful that the ancients should have ascribed 
to a diabolical source the subtle deaths that 
struck at them from the air. The Tyndalls 
of a primitive time studied dust and disease, 

87 



and called the winged seeds of decay and 
death "aerial devils, " and prepared the way 
for Mephistopheles (devil of smells), as he in 
his turn for the bacterial demon of modern 
science. 

A Musselman legend says that the demon 
Iblis asked Allah how he should contend with 
man, and he was answered, "Thy progeny 
shall be more numerous than his — for every 
man that is born there shall come into the 
world seven evil spirits." 

"The Asmodeus spirits represent the pride 
of life and jealousy and revenge. 

"The demon Mammon appeared to King 
Radbot in the days of St. Wolfram, and of- 
fered to lead him to a house of solid gold. 
The demon, disguised as a traveler, led the 
way to a house of gold l of incredible size and 
splendor.' 

"As soon as they went in, the house van- 
ished, and the party found itself in a dismal 
swamp, from which it took them three days to 
extricate themselves." 

The influence called Mammon ever has 
lured man on and ever disappointed him. 

Asmodeus, Conway goes on to say, "was 
chained for a time by Solomon, through his 
knowledge of the supreme spell, or real name 
of God. At the time the demon was chained 
he had drunk some wine. Now^ this very de- 

88 



mon had been the one to make wine intoxicat- 
ing, for he had slaughtered in the first vine- 
yard a sheep, a lion and a hog, with the result 
that the wine when drunk first gave the 
drinker the quality of a sheep, then that of a 
lion, and finally that of a hog. 

"Solomon in his pride afterwards boasted 
that he could overcome the demon even with- 
out the ring containing the secret name, and 
took off Asmodeus' chains for the trial. The 
demon instantly transported Solomon to a 
place four hundred miles away, to the Court 
of Naomah and Rahab, where he remained 
for a long while. Meantime Asmodeus, as- 
suming the form of Solomon, sat on his 
throne. ' ' 

As to the demon, Satan, this writer says : 
"Beastliness is not a character of beasts; 
it is the arrest of man. " It is not the pictur- 
esque donkey in the meadow that is ridiculous, 
but the donkey on two feet; not the bear of 
zoological gardens that is morally offensive, 
but the rough, who cannot always be caged. 
The scientists' theory of the law of evolution 
presents the same solution of evil as the 
ancients knew under the name of demonology. 
The pride of the peacock, the wrath of the 
lion, beautiful in their appropriate forms, be- 
came, in the guise of a man uncontrolled by 



89 



reason, the vices, which used to be called pos- 
session, and really are insanities. 

No monster ever conjured up by imagina- 
tion is more hideous that a rational being 
transformed to a beast. 

Some scholars who listen to sweet vespers 
may think the conflict is over; if so, they can 
learn that "men are possessed of devils just 
as much now as they ever were." 

The ethnical origin of the nightmare was 
the demon mare (Mara) of Scandinavia, and 
in ancient Ceylon we find a demoness "hav- 
ing the form and countenance of a mare." 

E. A. Wallis Budge, in a large number of 
illustrated volumes on Egyptology, traces 
the effect on that ancient race of the influ- 
ences to which the Egyptians felt subject. 

The spirit or spirits opposing the advance- 
ment of the human race, being the real de- 
mons, it would naturally follow that the gods 
of one age would seem the devils of succeed- 
ing times. Thus Hathor, worshipped by the 
Egyptians from the earliest dawn of history, 
was at first clothed with all the virtues of the 
patient cow, but afterwards became the queen 
of Hades and identified with Venus or As- 
tarte. 

The same process is seen in. the serpent, 
which was worshipped by the Egyptians as 

90 



the god of wisdom, ages before it came to be 
regarded as the form of the archfiend Satan. 

Isis was at first a divine goddess, but after- 
wards became a witch or sorceress and dealt 
in poisons. She created a snake to bite the 
god Ea so that she might learn his secret 
name, which was a word of power. 

The oldest spirit known to the Egyptians 
was by them called Apep the storm demon, 
and perhaps the oldest papyrus in existence 
is the "Book of Overthrowing Apep. [\ To 
do this, according to the papyrus, one had to 
recite the demon's secret names, of which 
seventeen are given. 

"A princess, having been taken ill, it was 
felt that she was possessed of a demon ; when 
one who knew the words of power approached 
for the purpose of exorcising it, the demon 
acknowledged its defeat in advance and prom- 
ised to depart, asking as a favor that it might 
afterwards join at a dinner or feast, the 
exorcisor idealist. The demon who possessed 
the princess recognized in Khonsu a being 
who was mightier than himself, and, like a 
vanquished King, he wished to be on good 
terms with his conqueror." 

William Carlisle, in a book printed. in Lon- 
don in 1827, on "Evil Spirits," and of which 
there is a copy at the British Museum, recog- 

91 



nizes all the kinds of evil influences that 
oppress mankind. 

"As scientists, by the aid of microscopes, 
have discovered to us vast tribes of insects 
which before were totally unknown to us, so 
Revelation discovers to us myriads of spirits 
— enemies more powerful 'than flesh and 
blood. ? " 

The oldest known clay tablet from the 
ancient ruins of Nineveh, now to be seen at 
the British Museum, is marked with charac- 
ters which have been translated : 

"I who am smitten with disease, whom the 
hand of the demon . . . " (here the sur- 
face is broken.) 

"The spectre that striketh fear, that for 
many days has been bound on my back and 
is not loosed, who attacks my face, my eyes, 
my back, my flesh and my whole body."* 



A book published at the price of $25.00, 
entitled the Divine Mystery, by R. Swin- 
burne Clymer, may be seen at the Congres- 
sional Library at Washington. 

Elemental spirits suck the vitality of those 
who are weak and especially of drunkards. 

*"Babylonian Cuneiform Texts" by Leonard W. 
King. 

92 



It has often been observed that drunkards' 
lives are the safest from accidents ; this is be- 
cause the Elementals take care of them, and 
preserve them in dangers, in order that they 
many continue to draw their vitality from 
them. When they have accomplished their 
purpose and drawn all the vitality out of 
their victims, the drunkards die, not so much 
from any pathological reason, as from spirit- 
ual depletion. 

This is the reason it is so hard for a drunk- 
ard to reform; there is always : something' 
urging him to drink." 

Clymer divides the spirits into four kinds; 
Sylphs, Gnomes, Undines and Salamanders. 
These Elementals derive their names from the 
four elements, air, earth, water and fire. 
"The throne of Paralda, Queen of the Sylphs, 
is to the East; of Gob, Prince of the Gnomes, 
to the North ; of Nicksa, Princess of Undines, 
to the West, and of Djin, King of Salaman- 
ders, to the South." 

In George Rawlinson's famous notes upon 
Herodotus, he assures us, at page 188, that 
the Delphic oracle was in reality possessed 
of an evil spirit, the demon of deceit, leading 
Croesus to make war on Cyrus on purpose to 
lead him to his own destruction. 

93 



CHAPTER VIII 



FALSE AND SLANDERING INFLUENCES. 



The mortal finds himself in a world of sun- 
shine and flowers. He finds himself con- 
scious of his great destiny. He feels himself 
able, if let alone, to work out that destiny 
and stand on his own feet, serene and perfect. 

But, though he knows that there is, or 
should be, a perfect system of things, where- 
in he has his perfect place, ''something'' pre- 
vents him from its attainment. 

The reader may be one of those who start 
out on the highway of life w T ith high hopes 
and exalted spirits, only to find that on every 
hand there exists a conspiracy against him, 
as it were, — a conspiracy of slandering 
thoughts and false estimates. With his high 
standard rebuffed at every turn and false 
standards flaunted in his face, he can no 

94 



longer stand untouched and uninfluenced, but 
dreads what every day may bring, and every 
day finds such dread more than justified. 

A strong sense of justice and right is born 
in such an one, a gift highly desirable and 
supremely valuable. Yet his . very gift be- 
comes the prey of self-influences, and 
makes the victim more susceptible to the in- 
jury brought about by these influences, and 
more bitterly wronged than he could be, if he 
had never had that fine sense of justice and 
right. 

The influences make his very words ap- 
pear to others as unworthy of himself and as 
suggesting thoughts he never would have en- 
tertained. False standards of life are 
brought about by the influences, formerly 
known as ' ' false gods, ' ' a different influence 
for each false standard. The Slandering in- 
fluences are closely allied, for they slander 
the sense of right by intimating that the vic- 
tim has those particular false standards 
which he hates the most. 

The reader if troubled by such influences 
in his life will, upon occasion, find his friend, 
perhaps his dearest friend, unaccountably 

95 



cold. A shadow comes between friend and 
friend, between brother and brother, and 
even between man and wife. That dear 
friend, or brother, or husband, all at once 
seems to believe your motives are alien to 
him; the cloud settles down between you, 
and the influence triumphs. Again, even 
strangers will, when this influence is upon 
you, look suspiciously at you, and you feel 
like a pariah and outcast. 

These influences, which for convenience 
we may call Beelzebub and Apollyon influ- 
ences, have driven many men to insanity 
and suicide. 



96 



CHAPTER IX 



INFLUENCES OF MALICE, ANGER AND REVENGE 



Our fathers, when they felt caught in an 
atmosphere where anger was created spon- 
taneously in the hearts of men, and where 
mischief against them seemed to be in the 
very air, called that obsession by the name of 
the demon Belial. 

Similarly, when malice and revenge sur- 
rounded them, permeating the expression of 
their lives and mercilessly threatening the 
very existence of their souls, the power under 
which they were so victimized was called 
Asmodeus. 

For the purposes of classification we may 
still call these influences the Belial and 
Asmodeus influences. 

That their power on earth has not dimin- 
ished, everyone will agree. To some victims, 
it seems as though a mysterious influence 

97 



were stirring up mischief. And those suffer- 
ing from the malice, or so-called "malicious 
animal magnetism," of the Asmodeus influ- 
ence are numerous. 

These self-influences cannot be con- 
quered merely by good intentions. It is not- 
necessary to read the personal history of 
every person whose history has been written, 
or of any one of them, to realize that the hu- 
man, treading the pathway of life, with the 
best and most noble intentions, however con- 
scious of his own internal honesty, always 
meets and is always wounded by, these al- 
most omnipresent, though inferior powers. 

For deliverance from angry and malicious 
influences many have laid down their lives, 
and to be subject to those influences, unless 
help can be obtained, is worse than death. 

Anger, mischief, malice and revenge so sur- 
round man, that he, in turn, absorbs those 
influences in his soul, and becomes their 
servant and tool. If a man's life has been 
tlrwarted by these influences, so that at last 
their nature obscures all his courage and 
strength, and he has become a medium of ex- 
pression of that same malice, anger, mischief 

98 



and revenge, his very soul has become tainted. 
Such an one is more to be pitied than blamed, 
— it is more his misfortune than his fault. 
This is the great misfortune indeed ! To lose 
the life of your body is bad, but to lose the 
life of your soul is worse. By the same reas- 
oning it would seem a greater risk, to reject 
the help held out to save you from this dan- 
ger, than it would be to refuse to wear a 
pair of strong boots if you were walking in 
jungle-grass full of deadly snakes. 

The self-influences are worse than any 
physical snakes. Their venom is poison to 
your career and opportunities, as well as to 
your physical life and to your very soul. 
These influences are always inventing causes 
of hatred and revenge, marking you as their 
victim. 

Will you struggle against these influences 
with the unaided force of your own good in- 
tentions? Will you trample the poisonous 
jungle with bare feet? Conscious of your 
own honesty, will you meet the malicious, 
angry, revenging influences, that know no 
mercy or scruple, without the only power 
which can overcome them? 

99 



CHAPTER X 



THE INFLUENCE OF THE BEAST. 



Once, when men were obsessed by a feeling 
within, like the spirit of a beast, whether 
wolf, snake, dog or pig, such as obsession was 
ascribed to "Satan" and his dark horde of 
devils. 

"Satan" was the name given to that par- 
ticular kind of demon which made man bestial 
and for convenience we may still refer to 
that self-influence- && Satanic. 

When our ancestors became obsessed with 
degrading thoughts, through no fault of their 
own, but by this terrible influence, they 
felt that they had fallen into the power of 
Satan. 

(a) Now, a dog may be, and frequently is, 
a respectable member of the animal kingdom. 
But a man, so possessed of this influence, 
and so cast down from his estate as a man, 

IOC 






that he is a dog, is a mongrel cur, unfit for the 
society of young people, full of foul nasti- 
ness. His spiritual manhood is attacked 
by this influence, and if he succumbs, 
it will be lost; then his spiritual condition 
will be gradually made manifest in his body, 
and the work of the influence will be com- 
plete. 

It is not necessary to elaborate an unpleas- 
ant subject, except to say that this is the 
greatest disaster the ordinary mind can 
imagine. The mind despises that condition, 
with such a repulsion, that to be called a son 
of a dog, male or female, has always been 
felt the bitterest epithet possible. 

Certainly no worse fate can be thought of, 
than to lose one's manhood, spiritually, men- 
tally, integrally, determinately or physically. 

(b) This influence is also felt by those 
who become imbued with a wolfish or snarl- 
ing habit, or who meet such expressions in 
others. Lycanthropia still exists, more sub- 
tle and secret than ever, but still snarling 
and growling at us through those who are 
possessed with a lust to take from us all that 

101 



we have and to even take the right to live at 
all. 

(c) The mule is a symbol, not only of 
stubbornness, but also of sterility. Not every 
one feels this influence as sterility, but over 
some its power is supreme. One who feels 
that life's object is lost if she has no child, is 
sometimes so entangled by this influence 
that her hope becomes hopeless and her de- 
sire turns to despair. Then, when life is 
void to her, the influence whispers that it 
is her own fault, and that she is worthless 
and should commit suicide. Dear Sister, do 
not believe it. Satan was a liar from the be- 
ginning. All will be weir when you are re- 
lieved from his power. 

Again, when we find the world unaccount- 
ably stubborn around us, it is this influence 
of the beast, injecting that mulish spirit, like 
poison, into the air. 

(d) The loyalty of those we love or who 
smile upon us to our faces, could be forever 
depended upon in a world free of the treach- 
erous influence, symbolized by the snake. 

.; But that is not this world, as everyone knows. 
We are constituted for that world, more than 
102 



for this one, or we would not again and again, 
believe and believe still again what people say 
to us — or that they are working in our inter- 
ests, even after we find out by bitter experi- 
ence, over and over, that we so make ourselves 
liable to disappointment. 

Do not blame your friend who turns against 
you. He is possessed of this influence and 
cannot help it, without the help of the 
christpower. Nor can you, in your own 
strength, help him. Only the christpower 
can make him free, when he will be your own 
loving friend again. In such a case, as far 
only as his treachery toward you is con- 
cerned, you can accept the christpower for 
him, as we shall see on another page. The 
folk lores of many different races show that 
a snakish influence has been almost univers- 
ally felt, and primitive hymns voice the be- 
lief caused by that feeling, for instance : 
"OP Satan, he's a snake in the grass, 

"Yes, my Lorcl! 5 ' 

This snake spirit is the most insidious form 
of this influence. Entering into a husband 
or wife it disturbs the oneness of that rela- 

103 



tionship, by first diverging the thoughts, then 
creating aims in the breasts of each, which the 
other does not share, and finally creating a 
positive disloyalty, which, if not cast out, in- 
evitably ends in a dissolution of the marriage, 
whether made physical by divorce or annul- 
ment, or not. 

The influences which come with bestial 
suggestions are many, and bring a man to the 
precipice, over which, if not saved, he will be 
thrust. There lie broken friendships, ruined 
lives, and blighted hopes! 

(e) The spirit of swine, or the influence 
of hoggishness is a terribly alive force in the 
world. You may feel that your work is good 
and useful, but you are surrounded by hogs 
who " swill everything. " 

Dear Brother, beware of this influence, 
for it will deny you the right to exist. It will 
monopolize everything you should have. Tt 
will take away the benefit of all your oppor- 
tunities and leavS you in the mire. Call it by 
any name you will, Satan, the Beast, or the 
spirit of evil, its real existence as the influ- 
ence of hoggishness, cannot be denied. It 
does not hide insidiously, as other influences 

104 



do, nor is it subtle as others are. It is ter- 
ribly blatant — Satan sitting in the high places 
of the Earth — and actually boasting of his 
cloven hoof! 

You are being openly and brazenly squeezed 
to death ! Your own efforts can only feed the 
swine more, for you are not in a physical net, 
but a psychic one. To be free, it is not more 
knowledge or more physical strength that you 
need, it is the christpower ! 

Nothing else can avail you but that power, 
and by the acceptance of that power you can 
be free ! 

(f) Idiocy and every kind of foolishness 
come from the beast influence. If your child 
or any loved one seems to be dull of compre- 
hension, or inconsequential, exciting the sug- 
gestion in others that he is a " goose ' ' or " don- 
key ' ' or that he is " asinine, y ' do not blame or 
punish him. He is the greatest sufferer him- 
self from the influence which obsesses him. 
The goose is the symbol of silliness and the 
ass of foolish endeavors. Some are so con- 
trarily foolish, that the more you try to teach 
them the less they learn. No use to provide 
tuition, books, rules and regulations for such ; 

105 



the influence cannot be exorcised in that 
way. 

(g) Corpulence is another phase of this 
influence. But here a distinction must be 
drawn between that which is natural and 
beautiful and that which is unsightly and de- 
forming. Natural plumpness, especially in 
children, cannot properly be called corpu- 
lence. 

But it seems the most highly developed and 
those with the very sweetest characters are 
often attacked by a very real influence of 
corpulence, or "stoutness. 7 ' Without the 
christpower it is impossible to withstand 
and repulse that attack, and cast out the 
self-influence of corpulence. 

There is a kingdom of bestial influences 
analagous to the ordinary, harmless, beautiful 
animal kingdom. But how different ! Where 
a bird or quadruped is wonderful in its beauty 
or sagacity, the influence, selecting its own 
most degrading aspect, names it after that 
animal. 

No wonder our fathers called this influ- 
ence by the worst name they could find — 
Satan. 

106 



CHAPTER XI 



THE INFLUENCES ATTACKING HEALTH. 



The Science of medicine, so called, has made 
wonderful strides in late years, and advanced 
from a stage where cathartics administered 
to, and blood taken from, the patient, com- 
prised the whole prescription for every imag- 
inable sickness or disease. 

Scientists are gradually proving, to their 
own satisfaction, that certain diseases are 
caused by " germs," i. e., alive things, so 
small as to be invisible in the strongest mi- 
croscope, which they judge must necessarily 
be present, for they can find no other "ra- 
tional" explanation of the diseases that afflict 
mankind. 

Whether the scientist calls the "disease," 
smallpox or scarlet-fever or measles or whoop- 
ing cough or mumps or leprosy, the "germ" 

107 



is his theory. No one has ever seen any 
" germs" of those diseases, they simply figure 
out that the influences felt must come from 
something alive, hence the theory of ' ' germs. ' ? 

It is true that in certain other diseases, 
such as malaria, tiny forms can be seen by the 
aid of a strong microscope. But the scientists 
claim that these forms are not ' ' germs ' ' them- 
selves, but "baccilli," that is, animals who 
are themselves afflicted with " germs. " 

The germ theory of scientists has a real 
foundation in truth, but even the leading 
scientists and materialistic writers such as 
Robert Blatchford, the English champion of 
materialism, admit that all these germs are 
invisible to even the strongest microscopes. 
From his book, "God and my Neighbor" 
(page 45), I take the following: 

It was discovered some years ago that a 
peculiar bacillus was present in all persons 
suffering from typhoid, and in all foods and 
drinks which spread the disease. Experi- 
ments were carried out, and it was assumed, 
not without good reason, that the bacillus was 
the primary cause of the malady, and it was 
accordingly labeled typhoid bacillus. 

But the bacteriologists further discovered 

108 



that the typhoid bacillus was present in water 
which was not infectious, and in persons who 
were not ill, or had never been ill, with ty- 
phoid. 

So now a theory is propounded that a 
healthy typhoid bacillus does not cause ty- 
phoid, but that it is only when the bacillus is 
itself sick of a fever, or, in other words, is 
itself the prey of some infinitely minuter or- 
ganism, which feeds on it alone, that it works 
harm to mortal man. 



For twenty years of history these unseen 
terrors have been called ' ' germs, ' ' but for 
more than 4000 years prior to that time they 
have been called "demons." Whether our 
fathers were right in the word they used for 
4000 years, or modern scientists are right in 
the word they have used for twenty years, is 
a matter of definition only. Our fathers felt 
the influence of such things and called it by 
the name of the demon Meresin. 

To them Meresin, with his multitude of evil 
spirits, seemed a reality, because the diseases 
caused by the socalled "germs," actually af- 
flicted them. Let us not quarrel about the 
definition of a word, when we are confronted 

109 



with a terrible reality, such as a disease or 
disability in ourselves or loved ones-. You 
who feel that your affliction is caused by 
"Meresin," and you w r ho. attribute it to 
"earth spirits, " and you who call it "mali- 
cious animal magnetism," and you who say 
it is but a '''germ," all mean the same thing, 
namely, that influence, cast upon life, — that 
phase of the old self — which causes the 
"claim" of pain and sickness. This being un- 
derstood, we may, for the purpose of defini- 
tion, call such influence in general by the 
name of Meresin. 

These Meresin influences come in many 
forms, which may be for our purpose divided 
into: 

(a) Fevers, or influences which seek to 
increase the usual rate at which the blood 
flows and at w r hich all the functions of the 
body proceed ; 

(b) Constipation and colds, or influ- 
ences which retard the life of the body and 
diminish the normal action of life m any way ; 

(c) Congestions, or influences disturbing 
the normal distribution through the body of 

no 



its blood' and life, frequently combining a 
feverish influence in one part of the body, 
with a retarding influence- in another. 

(d) Pain; which is a separate influence 
from all the others, though they all lead to 
conditions where this influence can enter in. 

i .(e) . Depression of Spirits. Scientists say 
that if you have, the "blues" your liver or 
some other organ is to blame. A ' ' germ ' ' has 
got into it, they say, which, although lodged 
for instance in the liver, affects the mind and 
brain. They are not able to explain why a 
"germ" can attack in one place and thereby 
cause disturbance in a totally different place. 
(f) Weakness. This influence saps the 
vitality of some part, or of the whole man. 
Children's bad habits of every kind are mere 
weaknesses. The drink habit is a weakness. 
Deafness, eye-strain, etc., are weaknesses. ' It 
is not natural or normal to be weak in any 
particular. After countless years of develop- 
ment,, man's body is naturally and normally 
perfect in its own strength^ and but for the 
influences, would never feel any weakness, 
so-called, or insufficiency of strength to meet 

ill 



and bravely face and overcome any and every 
condition. Our fathers classified this branch 
of the Meresin influence as Vampirish, be- 
cause the weakness caused thereby resembles 
an actual loss of blood and of vitality. 

Whatever theory may be urged by scien- 
tists, physicians or others, as to the intrinsic 
cause of pain, they all agree that the attitude 
of the patient's mind has at least something 
to do with it. 

Some scientists claim that their medicines 
have certain effects only because it is the men- 
tal attitude of the world that such medicines 
actually have such effects. Others offer no 
explanation whatever, but still say that the 
medicine, to be most "effective," must be 
taken while the patient is in a cheerful and 
hopeful frame of mind. So all agree that 
there is "mind-stuff" in disease and pain — 
even those who claim that there is "matter" 
or "material substance" therein. But all 
classes of scientists admit, that they do not 
know the nature either of "mind-stuff" or of 
"matter," so the whole controversy is wholly 
academic* 



112 



We do not have to decide between, or pin 
our faith to either of the contentions of the 
present day, as to the intrinsic nature of mind, 
matter, disease, pain or weakness. What the 
name or fundamental nature of the influence 
may be, does not cause or prevent its power 
over us, not invite it in nor drive it out. What 
we actually feel, need not be given this name 
or that name. It is there; we feel it to be 
alive; we know its power over us by actual 
experience and not by theory; -and many 
know how hopeless it is to struggle against it 
— without the christpower. 

The most terrible visitation of this influ- 
ence is when it attacks childhood. It shocks 
the senses and ideals of the mind to see a 
child suffer. When a fond parent or sister 
has to stand by, unable to battle against the 
terrible influence attacking the little one, it 
seems as if hope itself is going out, as if 
darkness blotted out the sky at midday ! 

If a little one suffers, the one who loves it 
suffers too, and that one may, for the little 
one, accept the christpower. 

(g) Childlessness is a kind of suffering 
from this influence. It seems that in cases 

113 



where body and brain are developed to the 
highest and noblest and strongest degree, 
where many influences have been conquered 
and one would say, "Here is a perfect speci- 
men, ] ' an influence of childlessness, the en- 
emy of our race, creeps in, to make that high 
development of no effect for the future. 

No man can satisfactorily explain to others 
why there should be, or how there came to be, 
such an influence, that could be called the 
* l enemy of our race. ' [ 

As stated in Chapter I, materialists might 
say that there always was the same quantity 
of matter and nothing else, that this "matter" 
was first in the form of gas, then by ' ' attrac- 
tion' ' (and they cannot explain what they 
mean by that word) the gas became subject to 
the pressure of its own weight, and so became 
liquid, and finally solid. That the gas had 
a "will to exist in any form," and when it be- 
came liquid, it experienced an "advance- 
ment" and so developed another will, slightly 
at variance with the first will, namely, a "will 
to exist in advanced forms. ' ' These two wills, 
they say, have been at variance and fighting 
ever since — and because the f ' will to live in 

114 



advanced form" is opposed to that part of the 
"will to exist in any form" which would per- 
petuate the life of what we call low, cruel, and 
base, and since there are many expressions of 
each will, it follows that certain expressions 
of the "will to live in any form, e. g., basely 
and bestially," seek occasion to attack that 
which would advance. Therefore, those ex- 
pressions of the Self may be termed enemies 
of our race. 

This explanation does not go far enough to 
satisfy anybody, nor could it be possible for 
material scientists to formulate a theory that 
would, for the reason that the truth is only 
partly revealed to them and only partly ex- 
plainable. -to man. 

If the sacred secret in its entirety were re- 
served until man is ready to hear, it yet 
appears that the scientists recognize the in- 
fluences, but here call them "Expressions 
of the will to live in base forms. ? • 

This volume is not for the purpose of dis- 
puting terms or urging one word or name 
over another. Enough that all men recognize 
arid feel the influences, no matter what name 
they call them. 

115 



CHAPTER XII 



THE INFLUENCES CAUSING STRIFE. 



Under this head we may properly consider 
wars between nations, litigation between in- 
dividuals, bad temper, estrangements, mis- 
understandings of every kind. 

It is evident that no two people would 
waste their time and substance in a fight of 
any kind, unless some feeling made their 
respective points of view divergent. , 

There are two ways in which points of view 
may be so radically divergent as to cause 
strife: (a) as to justice arid right; (b) as to 
the expected result of the fight. 

It is conceivable that two might fight for a 
prize, independent of any difference of opin- 
ion as to what was just and right. It is also 
conceivable that in the face of certain defeat 
one might fight for what he believed to be just 
and right. 

116 



But nearly all fights result from the double 
obsession, i. e., each side is obsessed with the 
idea that he is in the right, and also obsessed 
with the idea that the result of the fight will 
be an advantage to him. 

These feelings, or obsessions, are caused by 
some influences which seem to delight in 
stirring up strife. Our fathers called these 
influences ' ; Abaddon. ' ' They recognized 
the cruel power of such, and many writers 
have declared wars to be brought about by 
fate, so powerful did they deem these influ- 
ences to be. 

Never, before the application of the christ- 
power, have any of these influences, or strife 
demons, been conquered. They seem to work 
in sets, frequently putting brother against 
brother, parent against child, and even hus- 
band against wife. 

It is easy to recognize the strife obsession, 
especially in another. Antagonism is so con- 
trary to the ordinary dictates of the human 
heart that its appearance toward yourself is 
a shock hard to bear. Yet the person so ob- 
sessed is more to be pitied than blamed. 

117 



Ordinarily, the human heart would be kind 
and loving. Obsessed with this influence, 
it becomes a foe instead of a friend. 



CHAPTER XIII 



THE INFLUENCE CAUSING SELF-ACCUSATION. 



Seventh on the list of influences, -.classified 
in olden days, was the troop of -"demons who 
drove men tp, despair" by entering into ' the 
heart and infusing therein a false spirit of 
self-accusation, self-depreciation, self-centered 
hopelessness, remorse for real or fancied mis- 
takes and, groveling failure. 

While few are entirely free from this in- 
fluence, a great many do not feel its power 
to the verge of despair, and are able, in their 
own strength, to disregard it for a season. 

But to \some this Diapolis influence, as 
we may call it, is so real and oppressive that 
they f eel vthgy, ;will be driven, to suicide, if 
relief does not come. 

118 



No one, who has not felt it, can understand 
the real pain of the so-called " blues.' • 

This influence may, as yet, only have a 
slight hold on you, and you may only have a 
slight attack of despondency. Its usual way 
is to visit but gently at first, gradually increas- 
ing in violence, bringing on at last hysterical 
fits of accelerating intensity. 

When oppressed by this influence, the 
world seems black, your best beloved seems 
disloyal and you seem to be sinking down into 
the depths of woe. 

Then it leaves you for a while, but soon 
returns, often seeming to return exactly with 
the moon's phases — thus, if it is a full moon 
when the " blues" take you, look out for the 
next full moon. And at whatever phase of 
the moon you are attacked, look out for the 
same thing at the same phase of the moon. 

Scientists have tried to discover why this 
influence should seem to be affected by the 
moon, and have failed to establish any scien- 
tific connection between despondency and the 
moon. They say that the fact that the phases 
of the moon were important in ancient witch- 

119 



craft, and the fact that the moon seems even 
to make dogs howl, must remain forever un- 
explained. 

However that may be, and whether or not 
the influences of despondency even know 
that there is a moon, the fact remains, as any- 
one can observe for himself, by keeping a 
diary of other people's " blues," that they 
often return, however slightly, with the exact 
regularity of the moon. 

This influence is a reality af such threat- 
ening aspect, that the proudest and strongest ' 
may well fear it. An enemy who does not 
storm the citadel from without, is the more to 
be feared. An insidious, sneaking enemy, 
who enters the very heart of you, and pretends 
to be you, with the lie that it is you, — you 
accusing yourself — this influence cannot be 
thrown out or cast down by your own 
strength. 

It turns your mind inward upon habits or 
weaknesses or undeveloped spots and broods 
upon them, accusing you of human weak- 
nesses as though they were the grossest of 
crimes. 

120 



Black as the hell-cat it is, it assumes the 
robe of an angel of light, and tortures the soul 
by pretending to be that sacred monitor, Con- 
science, "deceiving even the elect!" 



CHAPTER XIV 



INJUSTICE. 



One's own experience teaches that there is 
some subtle influence about money. 

It is not the money itself which is the root 
of evil but a strange and almost uncanny feel- 
ing about it, which enters into the nature of a 
man, transforming him from being the center 
and source of all supply, into a clutching 
miser. 

Strange as it may seem until we give the 
matter real thought, it is not the rich of this 
world who are the victims of this influence. 
They who do not want for money are free 
from this influence, and they who do want, 
are oppressed by it. 

This is not to say that the rich are better 

121 



than the would-be-rich. Far from it; other 
terrible influences oppress them; but it is 
certain that they are better off as regards this 
particular influence. They who do not want 
for money are free from the demon Mammon. 
This message cannot come to one not ready 
to receive it. Such an one may have this 
influence seated in his high will. This in- 
fluence does not attract gold to its victims, 
but keeps gold away. Yet its victim clings 
so convulsively to what gold he has, as to pre- 
vent any acceptance of tlie christpower by 
giving it up. 

If such an one has read thus far, he has, 
from his point of view, been done a great in- 
jury by this message. For it is inevitable 
that he must choose either to pamper the in- 
fluence — Mammon — or to accept the christ- 
power ; if he cannot or will not do the latter, 
it is certain that the influence will set itself 
against him, and will inevitably banish from 
that man the gold itself — and never shall he 
have his heart's desire as long as gold is his 
God! 

Those who make sacrifice of the false god, 

122 



who humbly come to the christpower, and 
accept, can by that power be placed on a new 
and different basis as to money — a basis differ- 
ent from any they have ever before experi- . 
enced. 

Yes! By that wonderful christpower, I 
say in all humility and reverence, the influ- 
ence which makes the "will-o'-the wisp," 
teasing, calling, yet vanishing, effect, ever 
luring but never realizable, can be forever 
banished. This influence desires to be wor- 
shipped much, in little gold — ye who are sub- 
ject the most to this baneful influence, have 
the least, but will find it the hardest to ac- 
cept and sacrifice; yet if ye do accept the 
christpower can make you free ! 

To realize what freedom from the spirit of 
Mammon means, is to realize the most radical 
reversal of former standards. One w r ho has 
hitherto, by reason of that influence, always 
failed to get "enough money" and has had 
to be close and economical at the best o± 
times, suddenly finds himself, as it were, at 
the center of all supply. 

This influence is the curse of poverty and 



123 



want, the "wolf at the door. " This is he 
who drives men from "hand to mouth," ever- 
keeping them under, and dependent upon cir- 
cumstances. This is not gold, but the want 
of it; the self who dangles the gold in front 
of your eyes, drawing it ever backward to 
lure you into the abyss. 



CHAPTER XV. 



SORROW AND DISAPPOINTMENT. 



As we examine nature, observing the so- 
called lower forms, and so upward in the 
scale of development, we see that there is a 
point where even some animals become more 
affected by sorrow 7 and disappointment than 
by pain. 

Without praising any animal, or suggest- 
ing a usefulness, which it does not exhibit, 
there yet must be conceded to be well authen- 
ticated instances w r here horses and dogs have 
grieved to death over the loss of their two- 
footed masters. 

So man, highly organized, of sensitive and 

124 



finely-poised nature, early discovered that he 
could be more severely affected by sorrow and 
disappointment, than by the most excruciat- 
ing physical agony. 

Waves and waves of sorrow have passed 
over the race long, long ago. This was one 
of the first of the ixfluuences to be felt, and 
men tried to propitiate it by setting up its 
image as a god, to whom children were sacri- 
ficed by being burnt alive. 

Moloch, the name of horror, was the name 
given the Prince of the sorrow demons. 

That such an influence is very much alive 
today no one will deny. Call it what you 
will, the fact remains that the heart is at- 
tacked by influences, as much as the body. 

Impending misfortune vanishes when this 

INFLUENCE IS Cast OUt. 

This influence brings all sorts of calamity 
upon you ; it bereaves you, it disappoints you 
at every turn. Everything may be going 
smoothly, hopes for the future springing high 
in your breast, those you love a constant joy, 
and no cloud in sight, when suddenly the 
blow falls. 

.. Man in his arrogance, sometimes thinks he 
125 



is the " whole thing. " Serene in that confi- 
dence, he anticipates no disaster, but takes his 
mental ease, never dreaming of the insidious 
foe within. Not warned by past experiences 
of trouble and sorrow coming suddenly, he is 
all unprepared to meet the disaster. 

Bereaved, or smitten with vital physical in- 
nrmity, or arrested and cast into prison, or 
despoiled of all, or cheated by trusted friend, 
like lightning out of a clear sky, this influ- 
ence attacks you. 

There are men who are kept alive by their 
hopes and ambitions. In the hour of disap- 
pointment these die of a broken heart, or com- 
mit suicide. 

This influence, pretending to lead men 
into light, brings them into the darkness of 
despair. The heavens seem closed to prayers. 
Such men are hedged in by bitterness, as with 
heavy chains. They become disorganized, do 
not seem themselves, seem as if pulled in 
pieces. 

"When attacked by this influence, men 
wish they had never been born, and crave for 
death to relieve their misery. Then one says 
with Job : 

126 



11. Why died I not, . . . 

13. For now should I have lain still and 
been quiet, I should have slept: then had I 
been at rest. 

17. There the wicked cease from troubling ; 
and there the weary be at rest. 

20. Wherefore is light given to him that 
is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul ; 

21. Which long for death, but it cometh 
not; /; ,.,- 

25. For the thing which I greatly feared 
is come upon me; 

26. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, 
neither was I quiet ; yet trouble came.: — Job 
III : 11, 13, 17, 20, 21, 25, 26. 

The height of joy and perfect freedom are 
so far removed from sorrow and despair, that 
though I point earnestly and knowingly to 
that Height, one in the depth cannot per- 
fectly receive^ the message. 

To cast out of your life such an influence, 
is more than to save your physical life — to 
save only that life would be no benefit to one 
who longed for death— it is to place your feet 
on the mountain ! 

127 



CHAPTER XVI. 



INJUSTICE. 



Those who have been thus far sheltered 
from the world, and not attacked by the in- 
fluence in this chapter referred to, can have 
no conception or understanding of the feel- 
ings of those who are the victims of in- 
justice. 

The terrors willingly braved, for the sake 
of justice, by the heroes of history, are unreal 
to those who have not experienced injustice. 

Yet in each there is, deep down, such a re- 
sistance to injustice, that if he does become 
its victim, a new side to his character ap- 
pears, and all his desires merge into one, — 
that he have justice ! 

Our fathers recognized that injustice comes 
from an influence, which to them was so 
mysterious that they named it Lucifer, and, 
as Justice was conceived by them to be the 

128 



highest deity, or attribute of deity, so the 
origin of injustice was typified by the fall 
from heaven of its brightest angel. They 
further had it that when Lucifer and his 
angels of injustice were vanquished in 
heaven, they were thrown onto the Earth, 
there to ' practice their wicked influence 
upon the affairs of men, and have power for a 
season. That season was to last until the 
christpower should prevail. 

We do not have to subscribe to any of the 
words used by those men of olden time, to 
know that the influence of injustice is ram- 
pant to-day, as of yore. 

We see it and experience it every day. 
Even courts can not always do justice. The 
most honest judge is often swayed by preju- 
dice, which is easily created by clever at- 
torneys. 

Certain wrongs can never be righted by 
appealing to the courts, and in many cases 
the triumph of justice is only in name. 

The recognition that injustice is an influ- 
ence, has overcome it, in hundreds of cases, — 
where the very courts of our land were asked 

129 



to bolster up unjust causes. In many of 
those cases the courts had already given un- 
just decisions, and appeals had been taken, 
before the influences causing such injustice 
had been cast out. 

Many other kinds of injustice are rampant 
in the world today. Brother is "unjust to 
brother, sister to sister, your best beloved to 
you, and, in fact, this influence — Lucifer — 
is so persistent and so malignant that it at- 
tacks nearly everybody, some more, some 
less. 

If you are attacked by this influence, the 
sign of it will be that you feel yourself to be 
unjustly treated. 

Nothing can save you from it but the 
christpower. You may try to fight against 
it in your own strength, but so you will only 
change it and not abate it. Without the 
christpower, man's strength is not able to 
cope with this influence. You will remem- 
ber that our ancestors held that there was a 
great battle in heaven, between Justice and 
Lucifer, before Lucifer could be cast out. 
How could a man then, in his own strength, 
hope to conquer it? 

130 



CHAPTER XVII. 



BAD LUCK. 



Twelfth, on the ancient lists of kinds of 
demons were the demons of bad luck — spirits 
causing man to just miss good fortune of all 
kinds and entangling him in a network of 
adverse circumstances. 

A man has just ten minutes to catch a train 
and the station is five minutes' ride on the 
street cars. Although at all times when it 
is not important to him he sees those street 
cars go by every two minutes, this time he 
has to wait eight minutes and so loses his 
train— " bad luck." 

Another just happens to be walking under 
the edge of a building, when a brick gets 
dislodged and hits him on the head — "bad 
luck." 

Another walks under ladders again and 
again with his old clothes on and nothing hap- 

131 



pens. But the day he has on a new suit, a 
pail of paint falls off the ladder and splashes 
him— "bad luck." 

Soldiers shoot rifles with steady aim at the 
enemy, but only kill about one for each three 
hundred shots. A boy playing with an old 
pistol, which he does not know is loaded, will, 
if he accidentally discharges it, kill his play- 
mate nearly every time. Why? "Bad 
luck." 

Why do the stocks you happen to buy al- 
ways go down^ instead of up ? 

Why do you always find you have lent 
money to people who will not or can not re- 
pay, while if you borrow money yourself you 
have to repay? 

Where does the "jinx" come from that 
seems so ready to crush all enterprise? 

Who dares to say he is free from every 
pain, trouble, and misfortune, unless he, at 
the same time "knocks on wood" to keep 
away the jinx of bad luck? 

Only to ask these questions brings it home 
to us that there certainly is a very real in- 
fluence interfering in human affairs. 

This influence often assumes the disguise 

132 



of some of the other influences, and there- 
fore the greatest care is necessary in telling 
me about it so that I may know certainly 
which influence it is which is destroying 

you. 

You may be the victim of false gods or 
Receptive ideals and yet think you are at- 
tacked by the "bad luck" influence. 

Or the "bad luck" influence may be at- 
tacking you in such a subtle way as to make 
you think you are the victim of Beelzebub. 

Again you may feel that the spirit of 
slander is abroad against you — that Apollyon 
has you in his foul grip — when in reality it is 
the bad luck influence surrounding you 
with accidental misconstructions of words 
perhaps well intentioned. 

Or, accidents brought about by this influ- 
ence, may seem to be deliberate mischiefs, 
creating real anger — apparently the work of 
the Belial influence. 

You may fear revenge, and your fear may 
be wholly created by some mischance brought 
about by the Antichrist influence — thus 
does Antichrist ape Asmodeus. 

133 



In one sense there is no such thing as an 
accident. Every mischance is supposed to be 
the wilful work of the Antichrist influence. 
So that a stronger force than you are (in your 
own strength) deliberately causes against you 
those so-called accidents and failures of luck. 
Now, there is a sense in which something de- 
liberately caused by a stronger power cannot 
be said to be an accident. 

This influence constantly deceives its vic- 
tims with the suggestion that their "luck 
will turn"— holding out false hopes. No one 
has ever known any "law of chances" to 
work out in real life, yet this influence 
constantly beguiles men into believing that 
there is such a thing as a "law of chances," 
by which the luck must turn. 

But if you -will relax your preconceived 
ideas on this point you must perceive that as 
long as you are the victim of the influence, 
your "luck will never turn"; whenever it is 
not one thing it will be another, until at last 
you accept the christpower, and the bad 
luck influence is cast out of your life. 

Oh, what a difference in one's life when 
Antichrist is cast out ! 

134 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



ASTARTE THE GODDESS. 



There is an influence abroad in the world 
which plays upon the nerve centers of man- 
as if an unseen hand were to reach down into 
a telephone switchboard and disturb the con- 
nections. 

Delicately poised, if let alone, the intricate 
machinery of the nerve center works smoothly 
and harmoniously, perfectly connecting the 
will with the act, the ideal with the conduct 
and the thought with the speech. 

When the hand of the influence pulls out 
a plug or disconnects a wire, of a man's per- 
fect mechanism, it seems as if he were doing 
it himself, so terribly near this influence 
seems. And indeed, when he dreams, and this 
influence robs him of the connection be- 
tween nerve and imagery, so near it is, that 
he will swear that it is he, himself, and will 

135 



hardly at all believe that it is the oldest 
known of all the influences that is victim- 
izing him — the earliest recognized of the 
phases of self. 

In the earliest dawn of history Astarte or 
Astoreth was the name given to the influ- 
ence that was conceived of as the queen of 
hell ; also called ' ' Babylon. ' ' This influence 
was at all times felt as a disconnecting force. 
A man would stand speechless at the very 
moment when he would have given his life 
to be able to say the right thing — or would 
not be able to move his hand at the instant 
when such movement was vital — or would 
lose control over any part of himself — then 
he would say he was afflicted of Astarte. 

To-day this influence is stronger than 
ever before, and while we know better now 
than to call it a goddess, it is certainly just as 
real as if it actually had the sex and majesty 
of one. And with what goddess beauty it can 
fraudulently clothe its foul visions, and with 
what silvery voices it can call men to destruc- 
tion! 

There is no defense against this influence 

136 



except the christpower. Purity, prayer, 
fasting, or high resolves are all useless, be- 
cause this influence disturbs the connection 
between your purity, prayer, fasting and 
high resolves on the one hand, and your 
nerves on the other. 

Purity is good for its own sake, but it is 
not a defense against this influence. Prayer 
and fasting and high resolves have carried 
men past many a dangerous milestone, but 
not past this one. 

Young and old are victimized and often 
goaded into suicide by this terribly distract- 
ing, disconnecting and disturbing influence. 
The brightest and bravest men and women, 
in the flower of their youth and strength, are 
perverted, disconnected, distracted and driven 
into madness, despair and suicide by this in- 
fluence. It comes first in dreams, in which 
the victim sees himself perhaps the helpless 
victim of a vampire or the raging pursuer of 
a helpless one. One, who, in waking hours, 
is the mildest and gentlest of men, will see 
himself committing a foul crime — perhaps 
murder — and on awakening will feel a sense 

137 



of guilt. But lie is not at fault or to blame. 
There is not necessarily any evil in him that 
he should have such a dream. It is the in- 
fluence. 

Do not, my brother, my sister, believe that 
you are responsible, morally, for your dreams, 
or feel that there is any foul spot in you be- 
cause you have foul dreams. You have no 
more to do with it than the battery has to do 
with the bell after the wire is cut. All that 
is the matter is that the Astarte influence 
has commenced an attack upon you. Though 
I say, that is all, it is surely terrible enough. 
For this influence never leaves its victim 
except for a season. It will leave you, it will 
return and still return, again and again, 
oftener and oftener, until it has you com- 
pletely in its power. 



138 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THIRTEEN ADVERSE SPIRITS. 



The thirteen kinds of self-influences ad- 
verse to the human race have many varia- 
tions; or, as our ancestors felt those influ- 
ences, it would be more correct to say that 
each prince" of darkness has many and differ- 
ing imps in his train. 

Some people now call them "earth spirits/' 
because they attack us here and now, on this 
earth, and because they do not inhabit some 
far distant hell, but work to make hell on 
earth. 

All primitive peoples feel the influences 
and call them demons. Natives of the far- 
thest distant lands have similar rites and sim- 
ilar beliefs about demons. For instance in 
Tibet, and in West Africa, and in Siam, and 
among the North Dakota Indians, the art of 

139 



conjuring into puppets the "demons" is a 
recognized rite. 

The latest investigations of travelers to 
every primitive tribe in the world have been 
gathered together by Frazer and Ernest 
Crawley in their respective books, "Golden 
Bough," and the "Mystic Eose." To these 
facts they have added reports of old customs 
in various counties in England, Germany, 
France and Russia. As might be expected, 
the same influences are felt everywhere, 
though called by different names in different 
places. The "Mystic Eose" is especially in- 
structive. 

The fear of evil spirits enters into the 
marriage ceremonies of the South Celebes. 

The sedan chair in which a Manchu bride 
goes to the house of the bridegroom, is disin- 
fected with incense to keep away evil spirits. 

In Russia all doors and windows are closed 
at a wedding to keep out the influence of 
childlessness. 

Pontianak is the name given the influence 
against childbirth by the natives of Amboina 
and Ceram. 

140 



Maoris identify the flowing of blood with 
the evil spirit Kahnkahn. 

Among the Sonthals, evil spirits are every- 
where. 

In Egypt the Grinn pervade everything. 

Karlits feel the influences of spirits of the 
air. 

New Caledonians feel the influences of 
sickness and death and call them spirits. 

In Siam, spirits are thought to swarm in 
the air. 

The Kurnai live a life of dread of spells. 

Natives of Hatam dread poison infused 
in atmosphere. 

It is always the Spiritual danger which 
makes a man ' i taboo, ' ' and it is dangerous to 
others as soon as it descends upon him, and 
fills him with visno or electric force. 

Then "he is able both to cause and cure, 
disease, rain, wind, thunder, and hail. ' ' 

Amongst the Dieri and 'other tribes of 
South Australia, disease is universally felt to 
come from devils — Cootchie. 

Cambodians believe the Arak are spirits of 
disease. 

Crawley adds that in primitive belief dev- 

141 



ils were created by man in this wise — the 
picture of a hated enemy on the brain — 
when he shuts his eyes the image appears — 
the man's soul acquires "an image of his 
foe, a tiny but evil spirit which appears 
within him, he knows not how or whence. ' ' 

Amongst the Bongos, old women are espe- 
cially suspected of alliance with wicked 
spirits. 

In British Guiana, the destroying spirit, 
"Kanaima," possesses the man and then he 
is called the Kaijaima. 

Among the Mandingoes he is called ' ' Mum- 
bo Jumbo." 

In East Central Africa the people give an 
offering of flour to the spirits when a person 
is ill. The spirits regale themselves with the 
"essence" of the flour. In Halmahera also, 
they believe the spirits eat the essence of 
food. 

The Hill Dyaks place choice morsels where 
the spirits can eat their essence. Amongst 
the Yorubas, evil spirits are supposed to cause 
the illness of children. 

The spirits are supposed to eat the spiritual 
part of the children's food. 

142 



Central Australians say a magic evil in- 
fluence, called Arungquiltha, causes all con- 
tagion. 

Badi is the name given by the Malays to 
the evil influence pursuing everything that 
has life, it brings illness of every conceivable 
kind. 

Laplanders attribute disease to magic birds. 

People of the Kei Islands, Australian Is- 
landers, East Central Africans, as well as the 
Dakota Indians, suck the injured part or 
apply the cupping process to draw out the 
evil spirit. 

"This," remarks Crawley, "is scientific in 
a way." (Mystic Rose, p. 86). 

All these learned writers make their own 
so-called science harmonize with the so-called 
superstition of the primitive peoples of the 
whole world. 

Australian women "sing," e. g., "I love 
you," and "May your spirit be brave and 
true," over food giving it a hoemeopathical 
magical quality, so that when eaten by the 
man, he receives the blessings so intended. 

"Not only civilized ideas," adds Crawley, 
"but human systems and institutions of the 
most important character are built on these 
foundations. ' ' 

143 



Bulgarians before drinking make the sign 
of the cross, to prevent the devil entering the 
body with the liquor. 

Fasting was — similarly — to prevent evil 
spirits from entering the body. 

In the Aroo Islands, Kola Kobroor, the 
Babar Island, Islands of Wetar, Java, Nias, 
Amboina, Uliase and Buru, they believe in 
evil spirits that particularly oppress women. 

The Battas attribute anger to evil spirits. 

"When a man is sick, to drive away the evil 
spirits, the Aru Islanders fire off guns round 
the house; the Ceramese, Watubela and Kei 
Island natives move the sick man secretly to 
another house to "deceive the spirits/' In 
Celebes a dummy is left in the sick man's 
bed. 

A mourner in Andaman Islands will shoot 
arrows into the jungle, thinking that he hits 
evil spirits. 

A wide generalization can be made of all 
the experiences felt by mankind, and Craw- 
ley, speaking as a scientist, referring to the 
influences, says that such a wide generaliza- 
tion (i. e., that all men feel the spirit influ- 
ences), "has within it, though concealed in 
fallacy, a scientific truth, destined to emerge 
after a training in analysis." (Page 199). 
144 



Dyaks attribute disease and death to in- 
fluences called by them f ' Petara, 3 ' 

The Mintra of the Malay Peninsula feel a 
separate influence, differing and separately 
named, corresponding to every disease known 
to them. 

The Tasmanian attributes every gnawing 
pain to the presence within him of an influ- 
ence which had formerly possessed some man 
now dead. 

Zulus sacrifice cattle (and thus accept the 
freedom from influences). In all parts of 
the world the sacrifice of objects or animals 
is made. 

Suppose all tribes of men sprung or de- 
veloped from separate causes in places far 
different from each other. Then suppose you 
visited each tribe on a fine day but found 
them all in possession of umbrellas. The con- 
clusion would be irresistible that in each of 
those places rain sometimes fell. 

So, when the same idea of sacrifice, to ward 
off evil spirits, is found in every corner of 
the earth, the logician argues therefrom that 
in each of those places such influences ac- 
tually exist. 

145 



There is a period in the growth when a 
sensitive feeling recognizes influences not 
felt by thicker skins. Those men whose hearts 
have been large, have in all ages testified and 
do now testify, to the terrible presence of 
these adverse influences. 

Emanuel Swedenborg testified as follows : 

"What wickedness there is in infernal 
spirits, may be manifest from their atrocious 
arts, which are so numerous that to enumer- 
ate them would fill a volume, and to describe 
them, many volumes; those arts are mostly 
unknown in the world. One kind relates to 
the abuses of correspondences; a second, to 
the abuses of the ultimates of Divine order; 
a third, to communication and influx of 
thoughts and affections, by conversions, by 
inspections, and by other spirits besides them- 
selves, and by those sent from themselves; a 
fourth, to operations by phantasies; a fifth, 
to projections out of themselves, and conse- 
quent presence elsewhere than where they are 
with the body ; a sixth, to pretenses, persua- 
sions, and lies. By these arts they torment. 
But since all of these arts, except those which 
are effected by pretenses, persuasions and lies 
are unknown in the world, I will not here de- 
scribe them specifically, as well because they 

146 



would not be comprehended, as because they 
are too bad to be told."* 

All the thirteen black princes, as they were 
called, have troops of " black angels," or as 
we would call them, influences. 

Some seem to fasten on the soul and pre- 
sent you in a bad light to others. They also 
set all others against you, against your plans 
and desires, and against your happiness ; mak- 
ing you despised and hated without cause 
and making those who would otherwise gladly 
do your will and bless you in their hearts, 
plot against you. 

Other influences often appear to oppress 
you by fits of despondency, melancholy, re- 
gret and remorse. You find yourself bur- 
dened by a sense of sin which something urges 
you to tell or by a passionate regret that you 
did something the way you did. Nothing but 
the christpower can set you free, — free not 
only from the haunting fear of blame, not 
only from the influence urging you forward 
to the precipice of self-accusation, but free 
in the knowledge that the past is forgotten, 



*"Heaven and the world of Spirits." Sec. 580. 
147 



and the influence, which remembered it, is 
cast out and dead. Then at last you will feel 
safe that nothing can ever be remembered 
against you. 

Other influences seem to attack the nerves. 
Should you sense pain without visible phys- 
ical cause, you are being attacked by this 
influence. Pain is of two kinds; of visible 
and invisible origin. For instance, if you cut 
yourself, the pain is of visible origin; on the 
other hand if you have pain first in one side 
of the face and then in the other, that is of 
invisible origin. These influences fasten 
themselves upon the body and torment it un- 
ceasingly, and yet it can be endured by the 
soul without the madness that other influ- 
ences bring on. 

The influence that whispers and mutters 
in your brain gives you the sensations of 
hearing voices, dreaming dreams, seeing 
visions, etc. At first harmless, afterwards 
the most enervating. If you awake in the 
morning unrefreshed, feeling as if your life- 
blood had been drained away, you are in the 
power of the vampire influence, draining 
your very soul. 

148 



There is also the " failure influence/* 
To accept the christpower for the casting out 
of the failure influence evidences the highest 
degree of faith. But for that influence in 
your life you would hold all the threads of 
your fate in your own hands. Then when free 
from that influence, you will learn SUC- 
CESS. No man can teach you success while 
you remain bound by the Spirit of Failure., 
but after you have accepted the christpower 
and become free from that influence, you 
will develop accordingly. 

Another influence brings on disease, 
either of yourself, or of someone dear to you, 
usually a child. Only the christpower can 
cast out this influence. But it is given 
unto many to minister beneficially to disease. 
So until the christpower is accepted effect- 
ually for this influence, fear not to use all 
so-called "material" means and advice from 
wise physicians, for none of these can pre- 
vent the effectiveness of accepting christ- 
power, and the eventual complete freedom 
from that influence in your life. 

The influences, or "Earth Spirits," 
which come to individuals with the acquisition 
149 



of anything which is believed to be valuable 
are very potent. Many cases might be re- 
counted where a so-called curse rested upon 
the owner of some special diamond, ruby, or 
other stone. The like influences come to 
those who have, or suddenly appreciate that 
they have, or who receive or win, any con- 
siderable money. 

This influence not only affects the mind 
and body, but is so sensitive and suspicious 
that, should you see one with his hand beck- 
oning away from that money, it would whis- 
per to your mind to guard the money closer, 
and to beware of giving it up, "for," 
saith the influence, "he who offers help is 
insincere and only w r ants your money." 

There are other influences, such as the 
liquor and drug habits and many others, 
which oppress the soul of man. Many of 
these can be fought for a time with your own 
strength, and they can be conquered by 
some. But for any influence whatever, the 
only sure relief is to be found in the christ- 
power. 



150 



PART III— THE IDEAL OF LIFE, 
OR ALL MYSTERIES. 



CHAPTER XX. 



THE VOICE WITHIN. 



I am Life. I live in all bodies, inspiring 
them always to do My will. 

I inspire the writing of this message, 
which is for those only who can receive it. 

I know all mysteries. That which I set 
forth in this writing hath a hidden or inward 
meaning for each reader. If thine inward 
heart doth not see the wondrous truth of what 
is written, be sure thy brain mistaketh the 
meaning. 

Think not that Life's Word is of no in- 
terest. If thy body thrills when touched by 
Earthly joys, how much more will it thrill 
to the touch of that which is Heavenly! If 

. 151 



thy blood flows quicker and thy tears spring 
forth when Earthly emotions quicken thee 
how deep and strong shall be the current 
when I put Mine own hand on thy heart. 

Fear not Life's Word. It will strip thee 
bare of thy complacency, it will destroy thy 
self- righteousness, it will show thee that thou 
hast always condemned Me unknowingly, 
and it will humiliate thee to the dust. Yet 
fear it not, for thou art Mine. Unto Myself 
have I taken thee, though thou dost not know 
it. 

Fear is lack of trust. If thou dost not 
trust Me, whom shalt thou trust ? Wilt thou 
put thy trust in father or mother or brother 
or sister? These, too, do My will, however 
selfishly they seem to act toward thee. Hast 
thou found that they betray thy confidence, 
that they expect of thee that which thou 
canst not give? Blame them not. They are 
My ministers to bring thee unto Myself in 
perfect surrender. , 

Thou needst not worship Me. In thy heart 
there is that which is one with Me. But if 
thou dost sincerely worship any god or any 

152 



god-like man, or anything of Heaven, Earth, 
or Hell, then thou dost, unknowingly, worship 
Me. Hast thou an ideal? I am that. Hast 
thou a love ? I am that. 

Thou needst not believe Life's Word. Then 
shalt feel in thy heart that I am there, but I 
have given thee also a brain to question, and 
analyze and deny. Fear not to use it, for I 
have sanctioned its power both to question 
and to analyze, and also even to deny. 

Thou wilt read herein that I am all-power- 
ful, and always cause My will to be done. 
"Whether the thought comes to thee to pene- 
trate into the Holy mysteries of my revela- 
tion, or that other impulse comes to thee 10 
refuse or neglect my Message, know that both 
of these are from Me, and are sent unto thee 
in order that thou mayest be called by that 
one which appeals unto thee the strongest. 
If the thought comes unto thee that this writ- 
ing is not inspired of Me, then be sure that it 
is not for thee as being a writing of authority, 
but it is for thee just as thou seest it. If 
thou art filled with wrath that My authority 
be claimed for all that is done, know that such 

153 



wrath also is Divine and that I inspire it in 
thy heart and make it serve My will. I do all 
things well, and it shall be well for thee if 
thou canst take this writing as being of no 
authority— except as My voice in thine own 
heart speaketh. 

In all writings, all speech, and all language 
there is no voice but Mine. That which calls 
thee not is no voice at all, but that which calls 
thee, whether to be bold or to surrender, is 
My voice alone. 

I live and love in thy body. When thou 
say est "I am" or "I love," then that is I 
speaking. When thou sayest, "I have" or 
"I want/' or "I believe/' then that is the 
Self-consciousness speaking for itself. And 
behold, the Self-consciousness shall die, with 
its possessions and desires and beliefs, but I 
am undying forever. 

Thou hast a body, but thou art not thy 
body. Thou hast a consciousness of self- 
existence, but thou art not thy consciousness. 
What then art thou? Body thou art not, 
consciousness thou art not,— thou canst not 
tell what thou are. But therein I show thee 

154 



the First Mystery. THOU ART I, MYSELF ! 
Thou art one with Me. Tea, thou, even thou, 
art God of Gods, Creator of Worlds, the be- 
ginning and the ending, the All-power, the 
triune glory of Life, Truth and Love, which 
hast deigned to make thy body Its habitation. 
Thy body is My temple wherein I dwell and 
through which I express My will. 

In due season thou shalt feel the ever- 
present "I am" and "I love" in thy heart. 
Then thou shalt know that thou art Mine; 
that thy mouth speaks My voice; that thy 
heart beats with Divine impulse, and that I 
live in thee. 

Perhaps thou thinkest now that thou art 
a separate soul, but hereafter thou shalt see 
the heavens opened into thy heart and then 
thou shalt see that I, and I alone, exist, and 
that there is no other soul or Spirit but Me. 

Dost thou say, "Is there none but God? 
Then who am I?" Thou shalt say it no more, 
for this mystery shall be revealed unto thee. 



155 



CHAPTER XXI. 



I JUSTIFY. 



I have developed thy body by devious ways, 
that it might be a fit habitation for Me. Gen- 
eration after generation of bodies have gone 
before thine, each generation adding strength 
to the constitution and eliminating some weak- 
ness; and now, if thou canst receive it, thy 
body is ready for the consciousness of My 
presence. 

Through devious ways have I brought thee, 
providing every influence that could appeal 
to thee, in order that bodies shall be developed 
to whom nothing can appeal but My will. 
Have I not hardened thy heart to the cry of 
the oppressed, and suffered thee to be tempt- 
ed and to sin (as thou didst think), and have 
I not fed thee on the poisoned fruit of the 
forbidden tree of the so-called knowledge of 
good and evil? Yea, all this have I done, 

156 



that characters might be developed in the 
formation and organization of bodily frames 
which would be immune from such poison. 

Through cycles of time hath the false 
"Knowledge of good and evil" poisoned the 
blood of my people — my bodies. But unto 
you who can awake from the dream of evil 
induced by that poison shall be shown the 
Second Mystery. 

The words of the Second Mystery are 
known to many and are used by many to 
perform wonders; yet thou needst not pass 
lightly by these words. For many have 
healed divers diseases with these words and 
yet have never known their true meaning. 
On thy heart I write these words, "ALL IS 
GOOD/' and this is the Second Mystery. 

Sayest thou that herein is no mystery? 
Yet thou shalt see Me when thou seest that 
"all is good." 

I am God. I live in all bodies and am 
omnipresent. Thou canst not find any so- 
called evil place, but I am there. I, only I, 
am there developing my bodies by devious 
ways. In every impulse I live, conforming 
to no rule. 

157 



Thinkest thou that I conform to ANY rule 
or ideal or standard? That I must needs 
work My will on the same pattern in another 
body that I have fixed in thee? 

In thee I fix a mental pattern which 
finds fault with My life in another body. 
Tea, I call with all voices that each body may 
differently obey. For all obey My will. 
When thou beholdest My worji putting to 
blush thy mental ideals and sense of fitness, 
dost thou say in thy heart, "Such cannot be 
God's will?" Or dost thou say, "If such is 
God's will, then he is no God to me?" Then 
is it still well with thee, for behold, it is I that 
live in thee, prompting thy speech. Until 
thou art ready to live consciously as Me, it is 
well that thou shouldst conform to the ideals 
which thou hast set up for thyself. Until 
thou art moved by inspiration and love, it is 
well that thou shouldst be moved by con- 
science and desire. 

If thou hast a desire in thy heart laying 
down any rule of action for others, wishing 
them to be what thou callest "good" and to 
conform to thy thought of "right," or of 
"duty," or of that which they "ought to 

158 



do/' then thou wilt say, "Can such things 
be God's . will?' » when thou seest all My 
works. 

I have no desire. But unto thee, until 
thou art ready for My glory, I give all de- 
sires which the form of thy mind can accept. 
Whether thou dost desire for thyself or for 
others or for both thyself and others ; whether 
thou dost desire possessions or "goodness," 
or that others shall be "good;" in all cases 
these desires are sent unto thee by Me, in 
order that thy body shall gain strength to- 
ward expressing that Joy of Life which I am, 
and which is beyond desire. 

I justify all things. Let all who use the 
sacred words, "All is good," and work many 
cures thereby, know that these words justify 
every separate body and act. I am truth. 
There is no truth but that which IS. AH of 
that which IS is truth. 

Hast thou a conscience which saith unto 
thee that thou shouldst do this and shouldst 
not do that ? I have given it to thee. I have 
given thee a conscience on every point that 
the form of thy mind can receive. Unto thee 
I reveal its purpose, and in due time thou 

159 



shalt see My purpose not only in giving thee 
a conscience but in giving each of My bodies 
a conscience each differing from every other. 
I am developing the organs of thy mind and 
body to the end that they may express My 
Joy. 

Now the organ of thy mind which will 
afterwards express My Freedom can best be 
developed by the struggle against bondage — 
therefore have I sent unto thee all the bond- 
age of conscience which thou canst accept. 

Because the organ of thy mind which shall 
afterwards express the sweet consciousness 
of Me can best be developed to that end by 
the oppressive Self-consciousness, have I sent 
thee all the Self-consciousness which thou 
canst stand, working in thee to prepare thy 
mind to be wholly Mine, and wholly con- 
trolled by the breath of My inspiration. 

So I say unto thee that it is well that thou 
art controlled by conscience and desire, until 
thy inind is grown and thou canst become 
conscious of Me — thereafter to be controlled 
by inspiration and love. 



160 



CHAPER XXII. 



I HEAL YOU. 



Thy body is My habitation. Doth it suffer 
pains, worries or disappointments ? Know 
then that these are the ministers of conscience 
and desire. 

Herein is the Third Mystery, that as in- 
spiration is higher than conscience and as love 
is higher than desire, so is My perfect will 
higher than aught that seems to harm any 
one of ~My bodies. 

It is meet that everything shall come to thy 
body which can come ; in order that when the 
word of inspiration is spoken and thy body 
is healed, thou shalt be strong to express ^Ly 
perfect health. 

By generation after generation have I 
formed thy body, giving it a formation and 
constitution and character whereby it can be 

161 



affected only by that which is for it. It can 
feel nothing but what is for the growth of its 
strength. 

Say est thou, "Can this be true of the dy- 
ing ? ' ' Yea, it is true even of the dying, and 
thou shalt see it. But thou art not dying, and 
this message is unto thee. Seek to evade it if 
thou wilt by thinking how it would be unto 
others, but know, that I have so far given thee 
just wisdom enough for thine own life and 
that if thou art able to understand thyself 
thou shalt do well, leaving those others unto 
Me. 

I have developed thy constitution to the 
point where thy body has become wholly 
operated by nerve force, and I have developed 
that nerve force in thy body to the end that 
it might obey My will. 

Whether thou dost submit thyself to My 
will or not, be sure that My will is worked 
out in thy body ; but when thou dost submit 
thyself and dost surrender to Me, the war 
in thy nervous forces shall cease, and thy 
body become a harmonious instrument for ex- 
pressing My inspiration and love. This is 
healing, the Third Mystery. 

162 



And unto you who cannot yet surrender, 
because I have not yet developed your bodies 
and minds to that point, I give this message : 
that all forces will yield unto the word of in- 
spiration spoken through the mouths of oth- 
ers. So potent is the word of inspiration that 
even the form of words used is repeated by 
those who do not know Me, to do many won- 
derful works. 

Am I unjust that I develop some bodies to 
fruitage sooner than others? Do I not bring 
forth the ripened berry earlier in the season 
than the ripened peach? Am T therefore un- 
just to the peach? Therefore I say that My 
bodies which have surrendered unto Me, and 
that are conscious of doing My will, are 
likened unto the humble blackberry, while 
you who read this writing with scorn, or a 
sense of bondage, are likened unto peaches 
which shall hereafter ripen with a glorious 
fullness unknown to the more quickly ripened 
smaller fruit. 

Am I unable to answer all the questions 
which I Myself have planted in thy mind? 
If thou shouldst ask, ' ' What about bodies that 

163 



have died? Are they, too, ripened?" should 
I not be able to answer? Yea, I am able to 
answer all things, and shall unfold to thee 
all mysteries. This Third Mystery concerns 
only thyself. Others I will show to thee in 
due season. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



I HEAL THROUGH YOU. 



Not blessed above the rest are ye unto whom 
I give the Fourth Mystery. Through your 
bodies I radiate my glory and send vitality 
to other bodies. Through your minds I 
quicken the minds and nerves of other bodies, 
acting upon them according to My will, that 
I may ripen them to great destinies. Ye who 
have this Fourth Mystery, the gift of healing 
others, are no better than those others, and if 
ye are happier than they, yet is not your hap- 
piness more profitable than their unhappi- 
ness. 

Other bodies have I prepared for thy min- 

164 



istrations, holder of the key of the Fourth 
Mystery! Others, less ripened than thon art, 
await thy help. But until thou hast accepted 
from Me the power to heal and the sure 
knowledge that I am in thee tt and thou in 
Me, and until thou canst say ' ' I love, ' ' know- 
ing that it is I in thy body which saith it, 
even until then thou art only an imitator of 
My healing power. 

Until thou knowest Me it is well if thou 
canst imitate what thou thinkest I am. If 
so, well — and if not, well. For I am working 
My will in thy body now, and thou shalt 
see My glory when thine eyes grow strong 
enough to endure such a light. 

Shalt thou say to Me, "Does God do it all 
and is there nothing for me to do?" Tea, 
I do it all; thou hast but to be, and to grow, 
as I see fit to develop thee. "When thou canst 
no longer hold thyself up as a separate person 
from Me, then thou wilt surrender to Me and 
I will use thy body to radiate My love to 
others. 

To exercise My healing power thou must 
tenderly love, without desire, the body thou 
wouldst heal. 

165 



Unto many I reveal a tender love WITH 
desire. Such a revelation of Myself cometh 
to the maiden or youth with a power of glad- 
ness which is a foretaste of My Joy. But 
unto thee shall be revealed a more tender love 
WITHOUT desire and even without desire 
for a return of affection. Now if that degree 
of tenderness that I reveal unto many caus- 
eth a supreme gladness of the heart, to what 
height of bliss shall they rise unto whom I 
give the power of radiating My perfect love? 

Each radiation of My love is a healing 
power which pierces unto the uttermost, giv- 
ing forth a new and sweet vitality. 

I am only waiting to use thy body to 
radiate forth My love and life, waiting until 
thou shalt give up thy so-called knowledge of 
good and evil, and surrender unto Me. 



166 



CHAPTBE XXIY. 



I AM PURE. 



I am Pure. Unto Me all things are pure. 
I see not only that which appears, which in 
itself giveth the thought of impurity; but I 
see also the very inmost thought of the heart. 
Are not Mine eyes too pure to behold im- 
purity? Yet is there anything that I do not 
see? 

Therefore I reveal unto thee the Fifth 
Mystery, the Mystery of Purity. 

Unto each I give that measure of My pur- 
ity which each one is capable of receiving. 
Thou canst not yet know all My purity, there- 
fore art thou guided by such portion as thou 
hast. It is well for thee to be what thou 
thinkest is purity until I reveal this mystery 
unto thee. 

No ceremony can cause that which is selfish 

167 



to become unselfish. If then any possession 
of another without ceremony would be selfish, 
so also is that possession if taken with the 
world's sanction. 

Herein is the Fifth Mystery. Not that I 
lay any commandment upon thee, but that I 
call thee from a lesser pleasure unto a greater. 
If it be a pleasure to thee to hold another in 
bondage unto thyself, well. If it be a pleas- 
ure to win another's love for thyself, well. 
Even if it be a pleasure to bind another with 
a bond that thou dost not thyself observe, 
well. But list unto My voice calling thee 
from these pleasures! 

Thy body is My temple. Shall I not cause 
it to glow with the fire of My glory? Dost 
thou think I am not able to keep it pure 
without thy help? Yea, I am able, and thou 
shalt know the mystery of My purity. Strug- 
gle as thou wilt against what thou thinkest 
impure. Thy struggle is not in vain, for out 
of it shall grow strength, that thy sight may 
not be blinded when I show thee that all 
things are pure. 

That which appeareth impure unto thee is 

168 



not tender love between woman and man, 
however or wherever shown. But the appear- 
ance of desire is impure unto thee. Even 
unto thee, tender love without desire, doth not 
seem impure. 

Nothing can sully the purity of that body 
wherein I dwell. Fear not, therefore, any- 
thing that can come to thy mind from with- 
out; for I am within. 

Hast thou been warned by others not to 
think certain thoughts and not to allow thy- 
self certain actions ? Heed the warning well 
until I reveal myself further unto thee, for 
those others are also My ministers sent unto 
thee to keep thee struggling until thou 
knowest this mystery. 

Hast thou certain standards in thy mind of 
purity of thought, purity of action and holy 
living? They also are from Me and I have 
sent them unto thee to the end that thou 
mightest be influenced by them and thy de- 
velopment enhanced. But think not that such 
standards apply to any others save thyself, 
for unto each have I given a different stand- 
ard, according to their needs, and their stand- 

169 



ards are as good to them as thine is to thee, 
each to each. Therefore, if thy standard be 
preached to them, such preaching would be 
an attempted interference with the standards 
which I have given unto them. But fear 
not to preach thy standard if it pleaseth thee 
to do so, for I will cause such preaching to 
be of benefit to thee. 

Associate thyself with others to bring about 
social changes or reforms if thou wilt. Take 
those that offend thee before thy Courts and 
prosecute them as thou wilt. All such cru- 
sades or prosecutions will I cause to be a 
medium for accomplishing My will. 

Yet know that they whom thou dost prose- 
cute are also servants of My will. 

Pray earnestly, if thou wilt, that certain 
conditions, which are obnoxious unto thee, be 
abolished. Strive with thy fellows unto that 
end, if it seemeth right unto thee. Pride thy- 
self, if thou choosest, on exercising a strong 
influence against such conditions. I will be 
with thee in all such prayers and strivings. 

Yet know that I have permitted those ob- 
noxious conditions on purpose to exercise thy 
heart and the hearts of all who are affected 

1710 



thereby, and will sanctify them unto thee, 
yea, even thy deepest distress. 

That which thou deemest a disgrace to thy 
times, to thy City or to thee, is intended by 
Me to work to a great advantage unto thee. 

Yet I will that thou shalt fight it as if it 
were an enemy, if thou seest it as an enemy, 
and herein is this Mystery. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



I GIVE. 



The Sixth Mystery is the Mystery of Giv- 
ing. 

Behold I have set My sun in the sky, and 
the light in which it lives is the light which 
it radiates itself. It is not lighted by reason 
of any light which comes to it, but only by 
reason of that light which goes out from it. 

So unto thee have I given the power to 
radiate My love, My happiness, My health, 
My wealth, My vitality and My wisdom. 

And as the sun cannot live in any light ex- 

171 



cept that which it radiates or gives out, so it 
is impossible for thee to live in any light that 
thou dost not radiate. 

Thou canst not obtain love by getting it 
from without, even as the sun cannot obtain 
light by getting it from without. 

All things are from within outward. I 
have given them all unto thee to radiate from 
within thee. 

Happiness is constantly thine, to the ex- 
tent that thou dost give it out. Seeking hap- 
piness from without, and drawing it to thy- 
self, is its own destruction. The desire to ob- 
tain happiness from without gives the sense 
of lack of happiness. This sense is the only 
unhappiness. 

All things drawn towards thyself prove, 
when obtained, to be but the mirage of the 
desert. The anxiety to get for thyself, from 
without, proves always disappointing, be- 
cause all realities radiate from within. 

Health is from within only. All attempts 
to gain health from without are likened unto 
the sun should it attempt to draw back light 
unto itself. Such an attempt would, if it 
could succeed, result in darkness. "When thou 

172 



dost receive My health, whether I inspire one 
of My other bodies to draw it forth, or 
whether thou art thyself inspired with it, 
thou wilt find it to be a fountain within thee 
and not an external force which thou canst 
draw unto thyself. 

All that thou art thou givest out. If, there- 
fore, thou givest not anything, thou thyself 
art not that thing. To BE anything is to pos- 
sess that thing, so I say unto thee that thou 
hast nothing but what thou art. Yet thou 
art I, myself, and therefore thou dost possess 
all things. Herein is the Sixth Mystery. 

My wealth is the possession of all things. 
Gold unused is not wealth. Silver or lands 
or houses or raiment — not one of these is 
wealth unless used. So I say unto thee that 
use is the only wealth. He who spendeth a 
small silver piece with a free hand is wealth- 
ier in that moment than he who has hoarded 
millions and useth them not. 

The Divine sense of wealth is from within 
and radiates outward. It is not helped nor 
hindered by external circumstances. Neither 
debts and slavery, nor piles of gold and mas- 
tery over others, at all affect it. 

173 



If thou feelest rich thou givest out that 
feeling and freely givest whatever thou dost 
feel like giving. But giving with a desire to 
accomplish some purpose is not free giving 
and is not a sign of My inward wealth. What- 
ever thy purpose may be, whether it is to 
alter the circumstances of others, for their 
good as thou seest it, or to satisfy those who 
make a demand upon thee, or to put others 
under obligation to thee, or to obtain the 
world's praise for thy generosity — yet it is 
"thy purpose," and the giving is done to 
accomplish thine own will, and is not free 
giving, but is buying. 

Yet do I not forbid thee to buy thus, for 
until thou canst be free thou must be bound. 

If, then, thou hast the .thought that love 
can be obtained from others — from without 
thee — thou dost feel lonely and unloved. 

If thou hast the thought that happiness 
consists in outward things or can be obtained 
through them — thou dost thus create for thy- 
self a torment of unhappiness. 

If thou hast the thought that health is to 
be obtained from without, from diet, or med- 
icine, or influence, and dost therefore en- 

174 



deavor to draw health, toward thyself — thou 
dost cause the condition thou callest sickness. 

My law is a mystery unto thee because T 
say thou livest in what thou dost radiate 
outward and diest in what thou callest to- 
wards thyself. Herein is this mystery, that 
getting destroyeth and giving giveth life. 
Call suffering unto thee, and behold, it loseth 
its power to hurt thee. Call happiness unto 
thee, and it loseth its power to please thee. 
Give suffering unto others and it eateth into 
thine own heart ; give happiness unto others 
— sing unto them a song of gladness and joy 
— and it shall fill thy heart with the beauty 
and sweetness of My love. 

Thou hast no wisdom of thine own until 
thou hearest My voice speaking from within 
thy heart outwards. In that hour thou shalt 
open thy mouth and I will speak through it, 
and thou shalt live in the wisdom thou givest 
out. 

Yet it was My will that thou shouldst have 
long sought for love, trying to obtain it from 
without thee and failing. And it was My will 
that thou shouldst have eagerly searched for 
iappiness only to find that such a search is 

175 



the only unhappiness. And it was My will 
that thou shouldst seek health in vain among 
all the external imaginings of thy brain. And 
it was My will that prompted thee to think 
that wealth consisted in getting. So I have 
called thee that thou mightest know, by fail- 
ure and heart-burnings, that thou canst not 
obtain anything from without thee; and that 
thou mightest struggle to be strong and thus 
develop the organs of thy mind and thy body 
to be fit to perfectly express My perfect love, 
My perfect happiness. My perfect health, My 
perfect vitality, and My perfect wisdom from 
within. 

Take thy gift where thou wilt, if thou giv- 
est it freely thou canst only give it unto thy- 
self. 

I require no man to give. If thou givest 
because thou thinkest it will please Me know 
that I am already pleased with thee and noth- 
ing which thou canst do can alter My pleas- 
ure nor can cause My displeasure. Thou 
hast all favor in My sight now and I would 
not have thee do anything with the object or 
purpose of gaining my favor. 

Give love to obtain love from others if thou 

176 



wilt but know that what thou givest with an 
object is not love but desire. That which 
thou lovest for a purpose is blighted unto thee 
by that desire. Thou hast lost all thou hast 
loved if thy love has been only a desire to 
keep them. 

I am in thee radiating out from thee and 
I am all that is real. 

Dost thou say, "Does God mean me!" 
Yea, even thee — thee that readest, thee that 
hearest. 

Learn then this Sixth Mystery, that thou 
livest only in what thou dost radiate. 



177 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



I AM ALL: YOU ARE NOTHING. 



The Seventh Mystery is the Mystery of 
Humiliation. 

Before I make thee conscious of Myself, I 
cause thee to struggle with a sense of separate 
existence. "When the sense of separate exist- 
ence is overcome then thou canst be conscious 
of Me. And that struggle will have developed 
the organ of thy mind so that that conscious- 
ness will be great joy unto thee. 

Now, to overcome thy sense of separate ex- 
istence, thou must be humbled. That indi- 
viduality which seems to thee to be thine ex- 
clusively, is really Mine, not thine. That 
sense of deserving which thou hast, applies 
only to Me, not to thee. 

What art thou apart from Me? 

Learn that there is no such person as thy- 
self. Learn that I, and I alone, -exist and 

178 



animate thy body; that I, and I alone, do all 
things that thy body dost. Learn too, that 
I take the responsibility upon Myself for all 
that thy body has done, is doing or will do. 

To another age I gave this mystery of My 
responsibility for all things, by the symbol of 
the cross; teaching them that I took their 
sense of guilt upon Myself, and purged it 
upon the Cross, but unto thee I give the Mys- 
tery of Humiliation, teaching thee that thou 
art nobody at all, and that it is I who live in 
thy body. Thou canst have no guilt and thou 
canst have no merit. 

Now, that in thee which thinks it is a per- 
son shall suffer humiliation after humiliation 
until it dies, leaving thy body free to enjoy 
Me. 

Many pray, "Lord, make us humble/' yet 
when I visit them with humiliation, they 
recognize not My hand. 

Humiliation is the most painful thing thy 
pride can suffer; yet must it suffer before it 
can die. 

Hast thy pride hopes that it shall save thy 
personality? that it shall find favor or gain 
power? Has it hopes that it shall be judged 
179 



"good" or that it will live forever? Learn 
this that there is no hope. In deep humilia- 
tion it shall die and pass away, and I alone 
shall live. 

Thy personality can gain no respect, for it 
does not exist but' in its own vain imaginings. 

Yet has the imagining of thy personality 
been good for thy body, for it has developed 
the organ of thy brain which shall hereafter 
become conscious of being I, the One Infinite 
Personality. 

Thou thinkest that thy personality dwells 
in thy body, and is more important than thy 
body. But I will hereafter reveal unto thee 
that I am caring for thy body and have pro- 
vided it with the proud sense of personality 
to develop it, and that when thy body is de- 
veloped so that it shall have no further need 
of that proud sense, I will send thee deep 
humiliations. Then shall that proud sense be 
brought low and die. So when any humilia- 
tion comes to thee, let thy personality tremble, 
for its end is near; but let thy body rejoice, 
for its freedom is at hand. 

Thou thinkest that thou hast an inspiration 
to do good, or to benefit mankind. But all 

180 



desires, ambitions and aspirations are of the 
personality and shall die with it. Many pray, 
"Lord, if Thou sendest me wealth, I will use 
most of it to benefit others to Thy glory." 

Indeed, wouldst thou help Me to develop 
and benefit mankind ? Dost thou know better 
than I do what others need ; and wouldst thou 
supply unto others that which I withhold 
from them? This wish is simply thy person- 
ality trying to assert itself. Yet let it try 
and let it fail, reaping humiliation from all 
its efforts and bringing humiliation unto 
others, for thus do I use it to develop thy body 
and also those other bodies. 

This Seventh Mystery is hard for thy con- 
ceit to learn. But when thou shalt have suf- 
fered the humiliation yet in store for thee, 
it will be a lesson full of joy. For behold 
thou wilt be free of that conceit and thy body 
will be an instrument of My joy alone. 

If thou canst not yet receive these words 
it is well that thou shouldst reject them. Thy 
present pride is as much My work as thy 
humiliation will be. For thy body it is well 
that pride rules with its ambitions and desires 

181 



until it works its power upon thee. "When its 
work is perfected thou shalt cast it off and 
thy body shall arise from the death of thy 
pride, strong to express Me. 



CHAPTEE XXVII. 



I REGENERATE YOU. 



The Eighth Mystery is the Mystery of Re- 
generation. 

Thou canst not obtain this mystery by striv- 
ing, nor by study, nor by belief. It shall be 
a growth of the character of thy body. 

Unless thou hast suffered the seven first 
mysteries in thy body, and hast left thy body 
free to be controlled by Me, thou canst not 
feel in thy body this Eighth Mystery. 

In past times I revealed unto My people 
the mystery of generation and marriage, and 
sanctified the bodily union of the married un- 
to generation, that by generation after gen- 
eration I might develop a body capable of 
regeneration. 

182 ■ ' "> 



If thou hast not developed the Seven first 
mysteries in thy body, this Mystery of Re- 
generation is not for thee. Then it is well 
for thee to cling steadfastly to. the ancient 
mystery of marriage and generation, rearing 
children in love and tenderness, in the sacred, 
true and faithful marriage relation. 

But when thou art inspired by Me and have 
cast aside, as no longer part of thy nature, 
all desire and fear and all striving after thine 
own pleasure, then thy marriage will reveal 
unto thee the holy Mystery of Eegeneration. 

Herein is this mystery that thy body will 
not act the same when inspired wholly by 
love as it did aforetime when governed by de- 
sire. When it is inspired by love it will strive 
only for the pleasure of thy mate and no 
longer for its own pleasure. Then the sacred 
distillation of thy strength will not spend, 
but will be re-distilled unto the renewing of 
youth. 

Thou wilt not suddenly enter the life of Re- 
generation. Thy body will not change com- 
pletely when the first inspiration of unselfish 
love comes unto thee. Many times shall the 

183 



old feeling of desire come back to thee, but 
ever will I inspire thee more and more with 
the sweet patience of My pure love, and thou 
wilt more and more realize the life that I 
am living within thee. 

Dost thou say, "The mate which I have 
taken, is not now my ideal. ' ' Yet shalt thou 
see that thy mate is the best one for thee, 
and that I have myself provided such a mate 
for thee that I might teach thee unselfish 
love. For I will inspire thy heart with love 
that will ask for no return, no faithfulness, 
no kindness, no support. And I will give 
thee such joy in that love that thy body will 
be glorified and rejuvenated. 

As long as thy heart is not ready for the 
inspiration of My love, tliou wilt seek to ob- 
tain love from others, and wilt be dissatisfied 
with what thou dost obtain, for thou canst 
only live in the love radiated from within 
thine own body. But when the fullness of 
My life shall come unto thee, thou shalt re- 
joice in the mate thou hast and shalt love 
that one with a gladness that shall triumph 
over every fault. For a selfish mate givss 
thee the opportunity to be unselfish. Also a 

184 



cross mate gives thee the opportunity to be 
sweet-tempered. 

Yet have patience and know that if thou 
art not yet a radiant center of love and un- 
selfishness and sweet temper, still thou shalt 
become such. And to that end do I send thee 
trials that thou mayest learn to exercise those 
qualities which others seem to thee to lack. 

So it is well for thee to cling to the ancient 
sacrament of marriage in thy days of desire 
and in thy days of inspiration, for it shall be 
unto thee a trial and yet a joy, and out of it 
will grow thy strength. 

Yet I do not command thee to heed these 
words, for My message is only what thou 
canst receive, and if thou dost not believe 
these words to be my message, yet then shall 
thy disbelief have some effect upon thee, and 
whatever the effect upon thee may be THAT 
is My message to thee. 



185 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



I SET YOU FREE. 



The Ninth Mystery is the Mystery of Free- 
dom. 

To prepare thee for freedom I have sold 
thee into slavery. Thou wert born a slave 
and raised a slave. Even when thou didst 
awake and knew thyself for a slave, I did 
not at once deliver thee. 

From slavery to slavery have I brought 
thee that thou mightest at last be free. 
When I sent thee any measure of physical 
freedom, I sent thee chains for thy mind. 
That in thee which thou didst call thy indi- 
viduality was not capable of freedom. It was 
either a slave to thy desires, or to what thou 
thoughtest were the opinions of others, or to 
what thou thoughtest was thy conscience. 

Environment has educated thee into habits 

186 



of action and habits of thought, and thou hast 
been a slave unto those habits. Even now, 
certain chains hang about thee, called "as- 
pirations" and "ambitions." 

Hast thou broken all the old chains which 
bound thee unto My mysteries of long ago? 
Yet art thou not free! 

Hast thou suffered the crucifixion of desire 
and the humilation of defeat? Hast thou 
given up unto Me all desire for what thou 
thinkest would be good? Yet perchance thou 
art still in slavery to thine own opinions. 

My freedom is the freedom of the heart 
and shines forth brightest when environment 
seems most to enchain. Herein is this mys- 
tery, that freedom is not external nor in any 
wise dependent on the actions or thoughts of 
others. He who is forcibly detained and does 
not mind it, who takes all external things as 
he finds them, and sees no fault in them, 
partakes of My freedom. 

Yet it is well for thee if thou art enchained. 
The organ of thy brain through which I shall 
afterwards express My perfect freedom can 
only be developed by the operation of the 
sense of slavery. 

187 



So it is in all My mysteries, that the worse 
thou dost seem to be, the better it is for thee. 
Art thou painfully self-conscious? Then I 
am developing the organ of thy brain which 
I design to use for expressing the conscious- 
ness of Me. Art thou fearful and afraid? 
Then I am developing the organ of thy brain 
through which I will afterwards express My 
perfect courage. Dost thou suffer because 
thou lackest judgment? I am using that suf- 
fering to develop the organ of thy brain 
through which I will afterwards express My 
perfect wisdom and judgment. 

Now the great suffering and discipline 
which I send unto the minds of many is that 
they should not be able to see the perfec- 
tion of My law. 

Therefore I say unto thee that thou art 
blessed if thou dost suffer, for that suffering 
develops thee; and thou art doubly blessed 
if thou art afraid, for out of fear will I bring 
forth courage; but thrice blessed art thou if 
thou dost suffer, and also art in fear, and also 
cannot see that it is I being born in thy heart. 

For out of blindness will I. bring sight. 
Thy darkest blindness shall develop thy most 
188 



glorious light. Behold I am a light shining 
forth from within thee. 

My words come alike unto many, but it is 
not possible for them to be understood by thee 
until thou art ready for that understanding. 
Herein is this Mystery of Freedom that thou 
art free to believe as thou dost choose, but 
thou canst not believe anything in thy heart 
until I have developed thy body to the point 
where it needs such a belief. 

Thou art free from thine environment, for 
I can adapt thy body to harmonize with any 
environment. 

Thou art free from another's opinion, for 
I can adapt thy heart to freely allow that 
other to have any opinion he chooses. 

Yet thou art free to struggle against en- 
vironment and free to be influenced by an- 
other's opinion. And herein is this mystery, 
that I call thee by many voices, through 
slavery, fear and doubt, that I may develop 
My expression, which is thy body, into free- 
dom. 



189 



CHAPTEE XXIX. 



I CALL YOU BY ALL VOICES. 



Unto you who can receive it, is given to 
know the Mystery of Religion. 

Each religion and creed which I have sent 
differs in doctrine and practice from every 
other. 

Wilt thou say, "Herein I know that re- 
ligion is not of God, for God would not de- 
lude all the world with false religions, nor 
yet part of .the world, causing one man to 
believe that another's religion is false." 

Know that I have brought thee through 
many generations, developing thy body to a 
different perfection from any other body. 
Know that generation has followed generation 
obeying My laws of differentiation and selec- 
tion, until now. And now each one of My 
bodies differs from all others. Each selects 
different experiences and different doctrines. 

190 



And many have their choice of foods, hav- 
ing developed unto that point where their 
bodies can benefit by choosing. And many 
have their choice of doctrines, having acquired 
the mental strength to discriminate between 
them. 

But whether they seem to choose or seem to 
be forced, yet in all cases it is I that choose 
for them, acting through their choice or 
against it, giving them each what is best, un- 
der all the circumstances, to develop that 
particular character. 

Now the nature of bodies is such that char- 
acter depends wholly upon formation. And 
the formation of the brain and nerves is such 
that no food or experience or belief can ap- 
peal to the character unless such food or ex- 
perience or belief is suitable for that char- 
acter's development. 

But dost thou say, "Does God let man be- 
lieve an error ?" 

Know that all finite belief is erroneous. 
But it is nevertheless suitable for thy stage 
of growth. 

It is that in thee which setteth itself up as 
a separate person from Me, which believes. 
191 



Now, personality cannot see the Truth and is 
incapable of knowing Me. "When that so- 
called person shall die, leaving thy body free, 
to be My conscious instrument, then thy body 
shall radiate all truth. Until then I provide 
all beliefs for thee, each equally erroneous, 
that thou mayest believe that which appealeth 
unto thee. 

And yet, if thou couldst but understand 
any one of these beliefs from within, thou 
wouldst find it true. For Truth is so great 
that but a reflection of its glory would illum- 
inate thee. And this is the Tenth Mystery, 
that all religions are false when viewed from 
without, yet all are equally true and beauti- 
ful when viewed from within. 

Dost thou teach some ancient and beautiful 
truth? Art thou firm in thy conviction that 
the truth thou teachest is the only truth, and 
that all differing religions are lies? Behold, 
it is well and thou are My minister, and the 
truth which thou teachest shall appeal unto 
many. And unto as many to whom it shall 
appeal thou art My messenger. And no one 
can believe it except they who need it for 
their development. 

192 



Dost thou break thy heart over those to 
whom thy teaching does not appeal, and dost 
thou try to reach them by prayer and exhorta- 
tion? It is well. All hearts that can break 
shall break, in order that those hearts that 
are strong shall remain. Tea, try to reach 
those to whom thy belief does not appeal. 
For this trying shall affect both them and 
you. Not in the way thou desirest, but to the 
further development of bodies, both yours 
and theirs. 

Do some of My religions appear cruel unto 
thee? And dost thou say, "Nothing can 
justify cruelty?" Yet I am cruel unto thy 
personality and will utterly destroy it. I am 
cruel to be kind, developing thy brain until 
thou canst become conscious of Me. 

It is well if thou canst see the beauty in 
any one of My religions. Each one, as seen 
from within, teaches the crucifixion of ' ' self, ' ' 
and if any one of them can lead thee into the 
consciousness of freedom from self, thou shalt 
know that I have sent it unto thee for that 
purpose. 

Hast thou read that in times past they who 

193 



professed to be My ministers have spread 
darkness instead of light and kept back what 
thou callest the progress of civilization? Be- 
hold, I have ever? been alive as I am now. I 
have ever provided for the development of the 
organization and of the formation of char- 
acter as I saw fit. Thou knowest now part of 
My workings in those dark times, and I have 
put it in thy heart to question My wisdom on 
thy partial knowledge. Yet learn this, that 
all things worthy to survive, thrive best on 
opposition. The principle called civilization 
is one which gathers strength through the 
hand of him who would keep it back. Couldst 
thou know all, thou wouldst say, ' ' Even then 
the Lord knew best." 

But though religions have ever led men 
unto a knowledge of Me, it is not through re- 
ligions alone that I call thee. I call by every 
thing of which thou art conscious. Every 
voice is My voice. Every sweet influence of 
life in flower or tree or animal is My in- 
fluence. Every bitter or severe or cruel jolt 
which can come unto thee is from Me. Do I 
speak severely to thy personality by the voice 

194 



of religion? Yet I speak still more severely 
by the voice of the experience I send thee. 

Every experience is from Me. Perhaps 
thou dost not see how thine experience can 
possibly be dictated by Divine Love. "If 
God sends this/' thou dost say, "then He 
cannot be a God of Love ! ' ' 

Behold, it is well for thee to speak thus for 
a season, for this blindness shall give place to 
a great light. Then shalt thon know that My 
love is so great that I do not let a hair of 
thine head be touched except by Me, and for 
thine advancement. 

So I say unto thee that it is My voice which 
calls thee, whether by the words of sweet 
home songs and mother taught prayers, or by 
the wild tempest of rough experiences. "What- 
ever voice appeals unto thee is My truth for 
thee, to nurse thee until I shall lead thee into 
all Truth. 

And this is the Tenth Mystery, that each 
brain believes a different doctrine and differ- 
ent historical facts, and I feed them thereon, 
giving each the best possible food for such a 
brain. 

195 



And thou art thyself a proof of My care; 
for even in this I do not let thee believe what 
thou readest unless that belief shall be the 
best food for thy brain. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



THE MYSTERY OF DEATH. 



The last Mystery is the Mystery of Death. 

Thou art one, and yet thou art three. There 
is thy body, which is a link in My chain of 
organized formation, and there is thy per- 
sonality, which thinks it is the real you, and 
there is thy Spirit, which is I. 

Heretofore the body has been subject unto 
death. Yet each body which died was a link 
in My chain, transforming organization unto 
higher organization. Each had its influence 
upon each succeeding generation, living again 
in its offspring or in the bodies influenced by 
its life. 

The personality of a body is its Self-con- 

196 



seiousness, or sense of a separate existence 
from Me. This sense is useful to the body 
for a time and is useful to other bodies by its 
reaction, but is temporary by nature and 
subject to death. 

Thou who thinkest thou art a being separate 
from Me, shalt die, but perchance thy body 
shall live. 

Now the body has been more subject unto 
death than the Self-consciousness. And where 
the body dies first, the Self-consciousness 
lives on, often continuing to be useful to 
other bodies by appealing to them as if from 
another world. It is well for thee if thou 
canst hear voices from these selfish person- 
alities. And yet know that the Self -conscious- 
ness is temporary and knows not love the 
eternal. I give it no further wisdom when 
the body dies, and it soon dies also. Yet it is 
well if it amuses thee to call for the presence 
of the Self-consciousness of some dead body, 
for I will cause even that experience to de- 
velop thee. 

The Spirit in thy body is I, Myself. 
Whether any one body dies or lives, I live on, 
in all bodies. Thy real self is reincarnated, 

197 



not only in various bodies, but in all bodies. 

Know this, that the Spirit is the element 
of life and the Self-consciousness is the ele- 
ment of death. Yet the Self-consciousness is 
My minister to develop the body beyond the 
power of death, for the body is not necessarily 
subject unto death. The organization of 
formation is ever developing, and when a 
body is developed which needs no Self-con- 
sciousness, — which is strong enough to ex- 
press Me — -then the Self- consciousness shall 
die before the death of the body, leaving that 
body free to express perfect love without 
self -thought. And there will then be no 
element of death in that body and I will live 
in it forever. 

Such a body will express My perfect love 
without desire. Does desire still live in thee ? 
If so, well. For each desire is My minister 
to prepare thy brain for real love without 
desire. 

Thou canst not give up desire before thy 
time. For if thou shouldst be able to give up 
thy present desires in order to have thy body 
attain to the glory of consciously expressing 
Me, which thou dost desire, that would but 

198 



be giving up the lesser desires in order to 
obtain the greater. Now every desire that 
can come to thee is to prove thee and help 
thee, but they are of the self and are an 
element of death. 

Dost thou desire that thy particular body 
shall be one to live forever ? That desire is an 
element of death in thy body and may prevent 
its own fulfillment. Dost thou desire to be 
humble ? Desire is an element of pride. 

Dost thou desire to be unselfish ? Desire is 
of the self alone. 

So that whatever thou dost desire, the very 
desire therefore tends to prevent thee from 
attaining. 

And herein is the Mystery of Death, that 
when thou art willing for thy body to die, it 
shall live, and I will live therein, and the 
Self-consciousness shall die. 

Through many trials do I bring thy body, 
even through the sorrow of bereavement. For 
thy sake I brought forth the body which for 
thy sake I have visited with death. 

Dost thou say, "A happy child at prayer 
was stricken ; why do the good die young ? ' ' 

Yet I rule all. I have placed in thy heart 

199 



that sense of sympathy which condemns Me 
for not keeping some sweet little child alive. 
Another, perchance, cries, "0, God, why did 
I not die as a child?" Hast thou not faith 
to know that whom I see fit I keep alive and 
whom I see fit I let die? This is the Last 
Mystery, that death is My angel. The child- 
body whose formation will not stand the great 
trials of the world, I relieve of those trials. 
Such a body is not tried with strong tenden- 
cies, hence thou callest it ' * good. y \ The com- 
ing and passing away of such a body is for 
thy sake, in order that thou mayest be tried 
with the fire of affliction. 

And thy sense of separate personality shall 
die and pass away. But unto the bodies oj: 
those in whom the Self has died do I give 
eternal life. And herein is this mystery, that 
he who would save the life of the Self shall 
lose the life of the body, and he who gives up 
the life of the Self saves his body. 

And behold, generations after generations 
of my bodies have passed away, but I am 
Life, and cannot die. And I live in thee, and 
the "I" that lives in thee shall never die. 
That "%" which dwells in thy body now, has 

200 



lived from the eternal beginning of all things. 
To it there is no death. It is the Creator of 
all and lives eternally, radiating its supreme 
essenee of love and power. 

Fear not death, for it hath no power over 
thee, but is thy servant. 

Thbu art a king; thy crown is "life" and 
thy sceptre is "death." Thou hast always 
been guided by My life within thee, and thou 
needest not fear that it will forsake thee now. 

And the mystery of death and suffering is 
this, that if one of My bodies shall suffer 
shame and pain and death, and others shall 
hear of that shame and pain and death, it 
shall be unto their minds a development. And 
it shall so work on their minds that they 
shall obtain the development of character 
which they would otherwise have had to them- 
selves suffer to obtain. And that development 
shall be a salvation unto their characters. 
Therefore I show thee the mystery of vicari- 
ous suffering and salvation thereby, that thou 
mayest know the truth. Thrice blessed is he 
w^ho suffers, for I will cause his suffering to 
be a blessing unto others. 

201 



Art thou willing to suffer and die that 
others may be blessed? Yea, thou mayest 
suffer shame and pain and death of thy body, 
but if thou art really willing, and the Self- 
eonsciousness has passed away, then I say 
unto thee that thy body is immortal and the 
grave cannot hold it. 



Now this writing is inspired by Me, as all 
things are inspired by Me, whether spoken 
or written or acted. And this writing shall 
have the effect I choose upon all to whom it 
shall come, whether it causes them to bless 
or to curse, to scoff or to pray. For all alike 
are inspired by Me. 



r:o2 



PART IV— PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 
CHAPTER XXXI 



LISTEN TO THE VOICE. 



Within you there is that, which knows all, 
that which sub-consciously is omniscient. Be 
still and listen to its voice. It is not per- 
sonal, nor separate from all other life, but 
one with all other life. It is life itself. It is 
you, yourself. 

Listen to what it says: 

1 ' I AM your true self. I AM the true God. 
I AM love. I fill your being. I give you 
strength to endure joyfully. I prompt you 
to real accomplishment when personal am- 
bition is dead. I inspire you to real pleasure 
when personal desire is killed. I give your 
eyes sight when their capacity for personal 
tears has passed away. I give your ears hear- 

203 



ing when they have lost their personal sen- 
sitiveness. When your personal sympathy 
for separate sorrows is slain, I lead your feet 
in the path. I am the conqueror. I fight 
your battles. I AM that part of you you 
call 'I. ' 

"I AM your impersonal self. I AM one in 
all men. I have, waiting for your use and 
enjoyment, the true knowledge of life, and of 
the enemy of man and of spiritual power. 

"I perfect your brain and think with it. 
I perfect your body and manifest through it. 
I bid you give up all for ME, that I may 
reform your brain and body in the mould of 
My perfect strength. 

"What you think you are, is an idea of 
self-consciousness. It is not your idea; it is 
My idea. 

"Before you can know ME, you must 
thoroughly know that other self and all the 
tendencies that can influence it. You think 
it is real and separate from Me. You think 
its separate ambition is real, and that its 
self-love and self-goodness ar^e real. That 
thought gives the influences power over it. 

I AM the infinite part of you, abiding al- 

204 



ways within. I will show you all things, and 
enable you to see through all the illusions of 
personality, which have separated you in 
consciousness from Me, your true self. 

"I AM expressing myself through you. 
You only exist that I may express Myself. I 
create you for that purpose only. I create 
your form to express My idea of form and 
your brain to think my thoughts. 

"I give you all things. All that you have 
I give you. I AM the giver. I AM your 
inner essence. All things I give you for use, 
for My use. 

"I may speak through you, heal through 
you, cast out devils through you. Yet your 
personality deserves no credit, and receives 
no benefit from those wonderful works. For 
the personality shall die and its sense of merit. 
But I use you to do My works — and however 
humble and faltering you are I can use 3< T ou." 



205 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



LET ME HELP YOU. 



Not to all does the Voice within talk so 
plainly. But when another speaks to you, 
in the silence, by Spiritual telepathy, he 
speaks to that sub-consciousness and the I 
AM within recognizes the truth he speaks and 
rises to it. 



To thousands I have been the means of 
healing and teaching spiritual truths. 

To thousands I have transferred by wire- 
less waves, my spiritual strength. I have 
found that the more I give the more I have. 
Of course there is no merit or goodness in the 
personality; but the I AM within, is all merit 
and goodness. 

Would you be healed of pain? "Would you 
be free of those dreadful influences de- 
scribed in the second part of this book ? 

206 



Would you then be used as a healer by the 
I AM within? 

Let me help you. 

Only at first will you need me. 

After I have sent you, by spiritual wire 
less, the spiritual power which easts out the 
influences, the faint Voice within will become 
more powerful and you will find your feet 
on the pathway toward mastership over the 
untoward influences. 

Just now you are in a life and death strug- 
gle. Theoretically none of those evil forces 
exist at all, and yet you find yourself face to 
face with them. 

Call on me. Do not delay. I will be with 
you at whatever distance. 

Now the method of "treatment" is this: 
You shall relax for half an hour and breathe 
deeply. With every out-going breath, con- 
sciously say that you are unloading all your 
cares upon me ; that you are breathing out all 
your own opinions, desires, and all your 
knowledge and possessions; that you know 
nothing, own nothing, want nothing, believe 
nothing. (Afterwards, when each treatment 
is over, you can reassume all your desires, 

207 



etc.) At the time of the treatment do not re- 
sist any unpleasant or evil thought that comes 
to you. Let me do all the resisting 1 for you. 
Then with every breath that you breathe in, 
consciously know that you are calling me and 
breathing in my perfect vitality and har- 
mony. 

Before relaxing write to me and tell me 
the time which you choose, by your local 
time. You must absolutely choose the lime 
yourself, and I promise to abide by it, what- 
ever time you choose. 

A sense of obligation, or of owing me any- 
thing for the treatments, would interfere 
with their efficacy. So you must accept them 
freely. Be willing to be benefited without 
rendering a return. 

When you write, tell me your birth year 
and all circumstances ; your symptoms and all 
desires; what time every day you will faith- 
fully relax to my treatments; and tell me 
that you will accept the healing freely, feel- 
ing no obligation. 

Afterwards, when you receive the healing 
power yourself I warn you not to heal for 

208 



gain. You surely will lose your power if you 
make a merchandise out of it. How many 
healers have been gifted with this wonderful 
power and lost it very quickly because they 
sought to make a profit out of it ! The reason 
is very clear. The healing is done by the 
joining together in a spiritual union whereby 
the spiritual power given the healer is in- 
stantaneously transferred to the one to be 
healed. This is spiritual oneness or perfect 
union. The sense of obligation or payment 
is a sense of separateness, diametrically op- 
posed to the sense of union. If you deliber- 
ately create, in the very relationship of 
healer, a sense of separateness, it is no won- 
der if that destroys the sense of union and 
prevents the transference of spiritual power. 
You cannot partake of my perfect vitality 
and harmony if you deliberately separate 
yourself from me by feeling an obligation to 
me as a separate person. Person cannot heal 
person. Only the spiritual oneness of the 
impersonal with the impersonal unites the 
spiritual strength of the one I AM. 



209 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



SELF-SELFISHNESS. 



Many letters come, saying: li I have been 
too unselfish for my own good/' and, "J 
am never selfish with anything, but always 
help others as much as possible." 

It seems as if the "personal and separate" 
point of view often enters into the thought 
even when we try our best to consider the 
spiritual point of view. From the spiritual 
point of view unselfishness has nothing to do 
with our relations with others; it is a con- 
quest of self, and could be achieved by a man 
atone on a desert island. 

Now, I write to those who are anxious to 
develop greater spiritual, mental and physical 
strength — to those who are willing to give up 
all self-indulgence and all self-satisfaction, to 
gain that development. To you I say, the 
pathway is hard, but not impossible; the wa- 
ters are deep, but not impassible. 

210 > / 



Such a person undertakes to walk through 
life an a narrow plank. • On the one hand he 
must avoid falling into the error of shirking 
the conflict, for as certain drugs will kill a 
healthy appetite so that there is no tempta- 
tion to over-eat, so it is possible to unworthily 
avoid other lures. On the other hand, he must 
never surrender for a moment to the self- 
indulgences which would drag him down. 

}Ien who eat, or do anything whatever, at 
the expense of their forces, just to give them- 
selves pleasure, get weaker and weaker. Af- 
ter eating just so much it is wasteful to eat 
more. And just at that point where more 
food is not of value to the body, self-indul- 
gence commences. 

And so all through, any expenditure what- 
ever of life's precious forces, beyond the 
point of creation of finer forces, is waste. Yet 
it is not waste to spend time and substance 
for the welfare of another, or of a child, for 
so we conserve and build up the race. 

When a prize fighter, whose standards you 
despise and who may have no moral sense 
whatever, goes into training for a fight, he 

211 



gives up all self-indulgence. He does not in 
that way become moral, but he does become 
strong. 

And it is also true that if a child were in 
danger of over-eating, and if the only way to 
prevent it were for some man, who had al- 
ready eaten all that his system could use, to 
eat it himself, then although it would be a 
self-sacrificing act for the man to eat it him- 
self, yet it would be the same act which would 
be otherwise self-indulgent, and it would be 
weakening. 

So there are times when a self-indulgent act 
is necessary for the welfare of the race, or 
the good of another, but those times should 
only be approached in the high spirit of the 
martyr. Every self-indulgent act, gives up 
so much of your life. Joyfully and gladly will 
one give part of one's life and vital force as 
a sacrifice for the welfare of the race, but 
otherwise — to spend it for pleasure — is rank 
suicide. 

And as in the case of food it is equally dis- 
astrous to avoid eating, so in all other mat- 
ters, it is well, as often as convenient, to in- 

212 



dulge, or rather partake up to a certain point, 
beyond which point waste would occur. 

The invariable rule is that to partake or eat, 
or whatever it is, up to that point, creates 
vitality, and beyond that point, self-indul- 
gence snares its victim, and vitality is lost and 
wasted. 

Also the body is benefited by certain rest 
and by certain work. To prolong the rest 
beyond the point where it benefits, is self-in- 
dulgent and is called laziness, which wastes 
and injures the vital forces by letting them, 
to that extent, fall into disuse. 

It is very hard to stop eating, or resting, or 
whatever it is, just at the point before the 
waste would occur. At first it is even a shock 
to the system to do so, and for that reason doc- 
tors used to advise their patients to go ahead 
and commit self-indulgence, rather than stop, 
at the risk of such a shock. 

But there are those who will brave any 
shock or meet any hardship for the sake of 
development — for the sake of transmitting 
and distilling their vital forces into higher 
ideals and powers — and for the sake of the re- 

213 



generation of their bodies and the renewing 
of their youth. 

Whether yon eat, or whether you drink, or 
whatsoever you do, do it to create vitality and 
spiritual power and stop and endure at that 
point, no matter how unsatisfied your senses 
are, for that very unsatisfaction induces and 
creates spiritual power and vitality of a won- 
derful kind and degree. 

Many have learned to endure pain without 
complaint; but to endure pleasure — pleasure 
held in suspense — that is what requires the ut- 
most determination and resolution. 

As I said before, it is possible to shirk the 
conflict — like those monks who undertook to 
retire from the temptations of the world. But 
without enduring that suspense of pleasure, 
without meeting the enemy, Self-indulgence, 
and vanquishing it on its own ground, those 
vital forces are not created w T hich it is so fatal 
to waste. 

The conflict is not over with one victory or 
defeat. 

"Each vict'ry will help you 
'"Some other to win." 

The strongest of us may lose a battle, by 



depending on personal will more than on the 
Spirit, but triumph in the end is sure. 

So do not be discouraged with the path, if 
you lose a battle and seem to waste your vi- 
tality in spite of being willing, at the crucial 
moment, to endure. The harder you find it to 
follow, the greater the victory next time. 

And each must learn by experience just 
where the dividing line is to be reached. For 
no one can say just where it is for another. 
One can only say, "I will not surrender one 
instant ; I will strive every moment to create 
and not to waste; I will endure and endure 
and endure." 

Bible students and teachers all agree that 
the beautiful story of the Garden of Eden is 
an allegory pregnant with vital meaning. In 
that garden of desire, besides the tree of 
which MAN and WOMAN tasted, thus in- 
dulging in self-indulgence, there was the 
TREE of LIFE. And these two trees are 
said to be allegorical, the one of generation, 
the other of regeneration. And when we are 
banished from the garden of desire by our 
own self-indulgence, a great victory over self 
must be achieved before we can return thither 

215 



and safely partake of the other tree, the Tree 
of Life. And every battle won gives us new 
vitality — vitality of a real and durable qual- 
ity, as if we so receive a taste of the fruit 
of the Tree of Life. 

Here we see side by side the false pleasure 
and the true. The one drives us forth from 
the garden of love and joy, and the other 
gives us new vitality and life. 

Now the only reason why all do not choose 
the Tree of Life, the true joy of regeneration 
and renewed vitality and youth, is that this 
pathway is hard, and the other one easy. And 
no one can rightly blame another for choosing 
the easy path, because time and time again 
one's own feet have wandered, and one has 
been shut out of paradise for a time. For no 
one can reach the TREE of LIFE without 
many battles, and the strongest lose a battle 
sometimes. 

Many science students believe that this re- 
generation is absolute, and means perpetual 
youth and life everlasting in this body. But 
such a glorious promise is not necessary, for 
if it be true, and we cannot deny that it is, 

216 



then those would still best achieve it, who 
sought the path for its own sake, and not for 
that great reward. 

But when it proves to be true that the life 
of man on Earth is continued by regenera- 
tion, then the necessity for generation will be 
to some extent modified. However, that does 
not concern us now. The battle must be 
fought by each, independent of the fact that 
a new dispensation is thus being ushered in, 
and regardless of any personal consequences, 
or rewards. 

It is very important, if you would tread 
this path, not to condemn any feeling or appe- 
tite you may have. For the possession of the 
feeling, or appetite, is necessary before we can 
learn to endure it. And to some the oppor- 
tunity to conquer in certain ways is denied, , 
because they have not those particular feel- 
ings, or appetites, which others have. If, then, 
one feels particularly strongly lured, or ca- 
pable of particularly strong feelings, one 
would not, if enlightened on this point, 
grieve or be discouraged for that reason, 
but, on the contrary, one would rejoice, be- 

217 



cause of the extra opportunity to provoke, 
to tantalize, to endure and to regenerate, to 
the end that one could so make progress on 
the pathway, become more capable of ex- 
pressing the Will of Spirit, and could so 
return to the Garden and partake of the 
Tree of Life. 

This beautiful truth has been the subject 
of many a poetic fancy. And the sacred 
writings of all history are full of veiled 
references to it. If one did aught, not for 
his own gratification, but for spiritual gain, 
he was said to be doing it "to the glory of 
God." So we find Paul saying (I Cor. X, 
31) : 

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or what- 
soever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 

And those who, at the crucial moment of 
tantalization, were able to wait for the re- 
generation of their vitality, and were able 
to overcome the Self, were said to "wait 
upon the Lord." It is they of whom Isaiah 
spoke (Is. XL, 31) : 

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their 
strength; they shall mount up with wings as 
eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they 
shall walk and not faint." 

218 



Here we have the idea of waiting, in order 
that regeneration may renew the strength. 
This is the supreme patience required of one 
who would take part in this spiritual bless- 
ing. The idea of eagles is the idea of re- 
newing youth, for, sings the Psalmist (Ps. 
GUI, 5) : 
"Thy youth is renewed like the eagles." 
And near the end of the Bible we find a 
return to the beautiful garden story of the 
garden of desire, now glorified into the 
"paradise of God." But the Tree of Life 
is still there, and becomes now, at last, avail- 
able to him who, in that terrible struggle 
with the demon Self, has overcome — to him 
who has learned, in that moment of suspend- 
ed pleasure, to endure, to "wait upon the 
Lord," and to distil his forces into spiritual 
power. And to him the Spirit sayeth (Rev. 
II, T) : 

"To him that overcometh I will give to eat of 
the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the 
paradise of God." (See also I John, III, 9.) 

NOTE: 

I have been told that near the upper waters of 
the Amazon there is a great variety of mimosas 
or sensitive plants. One variety has a cup-like 

219 



(ascidia) leaf pointing upward, in which a few 
drops of liquid honey are contained. 

When agitated two or three times by being 
touched with the hand on the outside, the cup- 
like leaf will turn downwards and the honey be 
spilt. 

If touched a little, but not enough to cause the 
spilling, the honey in the leaf will increase, drawn 
from the sap of the plant by a strange agitation. 

If so agitated on several successive days, the 
leaf becomes capable of greater and greater agita- 
tion without spilling the honey. 

Let us be vials of the honey of sweet-temper 
and self restraint. Let us not spill our sweetness 
in wrath or in any other explosive emotion, no 
matter how much we may be agitated. 

So we will become capable of greater and 
greater resistance to agitation, and capable of 
distilling into our characters more and more of 
the honey of life. 



220 



CHAPTER XXXIY. 



UNSELFISHNESS. 



.1 selfish motive takes away all the grace 
of an otherwise good act. Self seeks to bene- 
fit, hut all its hopes must prove illusory be- 
cause, as we shall see, no gain or achieve- 
ment, behind which lies the selfish motive, 
can be of the smallest value from the point 
of view of individual achievement. 

When the study of philosophy is suggested 
Self begins to plan how to benefit by that 
study. The knowledge that there is only one 
reality behind all phenomena gives Self an 
opportunity to suggest that base metal might 
be turned into gold, and that stones might be 
made bread. But though you had all wealth 
you would, if you were dominated by a selfish 
heart, find yourself poor in reality. If man 
only required gold, or if you could benefit 

221 



mankind by even turning the whole world 
into gold (or bread), that would be a noble 
object for philosophy to strive for. But that 
would not really benefit man. Looked at from 
every possible point of view the logical end of 
philosophy is unselfishness. The most elo- 
quent argument gives but a hollow sound if it 
comes from a selfish heart. The most correct 
behavior, the most earnest work, are cold and 
worthless if inspired by a selfish motive. 

Selfishness promises great things — power 
and wealth and esteem. Unselfish love prom- 
ises not at all. But it is in itself the only 
power in the Universe and the only wealth 
worth having. 

The worth of a man lies not in his words, 
not altogether in his acts, but in his motive. 
The test is whether the motive be hard 
and selfish or unselfish and loving. The un- 
selfish man will not be proud, but will be more 
eager to uphold the reputation of others than 
his own. 

Many good men puzzle themselves over the 
problem of how to live the golden rule amid 
the selfishness of others, without losing all 
that they hold most dear. The problem is 

222 



solved when it is seen that a study of phil- 
osophy brings man into touch with the great 
reality, and that he then no longer holds dear 
the things of which unselfish love would de- 
prive him. 

Love simplifies existence, hate complicates 
it. Unselfishness does not impute evil motives 
to others. It gives patience and grace to all 
our relationship. 

Worldly wisdom teaches us to fight for our 
rights to the last ditch — to spend all we have 
to defeat what we consider a wrongful claim 
rather than yield to anything whatever. But 
philosophy teaches us not to quarrel over the 
shadow — but to let those have it who seem to 
want it — while we make sure of the reality. 
You can afford to let them plunder, rob, slan- 
der and insult you, if you have something 
which is really of a great deal more value 
than all their smiles, good reports or money. 
What is that something? It is the only real 
force that can be exercised in life, in work, 
or in the Universe. 

Worldly wisdom teaches us to hate those 
who hate us and return at least as much spite 
as we receive. If we are known to be spiteful 

223 



to those who deserve it, people will let us 
alone. But philosophy shows us how to con- 
quer by love, at once, without taking the time 
and trouble to build up a self -protective repu- 
tation. The way is to conquer yourself first- 
Mr. Theodore Seward, of New York, is the 
authority for the statement that one who had 
gained the power of self-mastery, meeting a 
tiger in the jungle, stood facing the animal 
till it turned away and slunk into the thicket. 
When asked how he was able to exert such 
control, he replied, " Because I have con : 
quered the tiger in my own nature. " 

The treasures of selfishness are unreliable. 
Afted many years of selfish toil we may be- 
come possessed of what we have desired for 
ourselves. It may be wealth, fame, or oppor- 
tunity for fcelf-g'ratification. Can any of 
these be relied upon? Can Wealth? It is a 
well-known fact that sudden wealth rarely 
brings happiness and is frequently lost again. 
Can Fame ? Every one knows that it can not. 
Through no fault of his own a great states- 
man may lose an election and retire in com- 
parative disgrace, who only the day before 
was one of the most honored of men. Again 

224 



it might be asked if self -gratification is not 
reliable. But who has not found that the 
apple of self-indulgence turns to ashes in the 
mouth? Sweets cloy, play tires more than 
work does, amusement, more than study, gives 
headaches. 

But the treasures of philosophy can not be 
stolen from you, do not disappoint you, are 
not subject to the fancy of the voters at an 
election, and they never, never cloy. 

A selfish man can not exercise the power of 
unselfishness. He is not to be blamed for that 
— it is not wilful selfishness but sheer in- 
ability to exercise this wonderful power. It 
may take years of study of philosophy before 
he can even understand unselfishness, or it 
may come upon him in a sudden "awaken- 
ing, ? ' but when he does understand it he will 
find himself holding in his hands the reins 
of real power. 

For this reason all worry about tomorrow £ 
needs for self is a waste of time and totally 
unnecessary. A knowledge of philosophy will 
enable you to exercise the power of unselfish- 
ness which will overcome every obstacle. 

We are sometimes tempted to criticise 

225 



others, but let us not do it without knowledge. 
A French proverb is translated: "To know 
all is to forgive all." There is danger that 
we may, so to speak, put on green spectacles, 
and then imagine the whole world green. 
Others' faults are generally first discovered 
by those who have a thin film of similar faults 
over their eyes and see their friends through 
it, tinged with those colors. Let us cleanse 
our own selves before we put our friends 
through the mangle. It is never our unselfish 
love which finds fault with friends. 

If a charitable disposition be a desirable 
acquisition, how should we go about to ac- 
quire such a frame of mind? The first point 
is to thoroughly realize that it is desirable. 
If you think it the acquisition most worth 
wishing for you will long for it every waking 
hour and seek it everywhere. Then you will 
find yourself growing into it, for growth in 
the direction of desire is the law of nature. 
Then the knowledge that we are each a part 
of one another will show us that the service 
of others is our destiny as soon as we have 
given up the service of self. 

Another point is to try and see things from 

226 



the standpoint of others before coming to an 
opinion. This is a good rule from many points 
of view, but it is ai little trouble at first and 
so is not adopted by people who are inclined 
to think they have quite enough trouble al- 
ready. Shirking trouble and seeking ease and 
amusement will not, however, improve your 
disposition. Trouble shirked is trouble mag- 
nified, whereas to look it in the face will often 
banish it altogether. In this connection the 
following verses will bear repeating : 

There came a giant to my door, 

A giant fierce and strong, 
His step was heavy on the floor, 

His arms were ten yards long! 

He scowled, he frowned, he shook the ground, 

I trembled through and through! 
At length I looked him in the face, 

And cried, "Who cares for you"" 

The mighty giant, as I spoke 

Grew pale and thin and small; 
And through his body (as 'twere smoke) 

I saw the sunshine fall! 

Such giants come to strike us dumb, 

But, weak in every part, 
They melt before the strong man's gaze 

And fly the true of heart! 

The unselfish frame of mind is. the object 

227 



to be obtained, but not everyone who profes- 
ses it has attained it. There are good earnest 
men who live as unselfishly as they can, purely 
from a sense of duty, who have never known 
one minute of the unselfish disposition. They 
may have benefited mankind, they may have 
sacrificed all their possessions, they may have 
given their lives to work in a leper colony, 
and still never yet have entered into the 
consciousness of real unselfishness. 

There is no monopoly to this state of mind. 
Many attain to it with whom you might be 
ashamed to be seen talking. Many miss it 
who are considered the great and good of 
the earth. Little children can sometimes un- 
derstand it where the most learned falter. 
Some seem to grasp it at once, without hardly 
hearing about it and some see its reality who 
have hardly even been taught to look. 

You may have something that you would 
like to do first before you become unselfish. 
You may be afraid that a sense of duty will 
afterwards prevent you from doing as you 
would like. But unselfiishness is not a sense 
of duty at all. It is just the opposite, for the 
unselfish man does exactly as he likes. He is 

228 



the only man -that is really free. So that to 
get unselfishness as fast as you can — it may 
prove a slow process at best — will not pre- 
vent you from doing as you may have planned 
in the way you then want to do it when the 
time comes to act. 

If we reach the unsellfish disposition we 
then want to carry it out. Giving things up 
from a sense of duty may bring you no whit 
nearer the goal. In fact the feeling of hav- 
ing done his duty well has hindered many a 
man from entering into the unselfish frame of 
mind. "Duty" is a chain which good people 
hang around their own necks and which often 
prevents them from looking upward. It also 
enables them with a clear conscience to bind 
down others and to condemn in unmeasured 
terms those who do not wear the same chain 
so gracefully. 

Similar criticism will fall on you the mo- 
ment you try to live philosophically. There 
is no need to fear it, however. Your motives 
may be understood now but they will be 
made clear to all before the misunderstanding 
can hurt you. As long as selfishness is 
hated, its votaries will also be disliked, but 

229 



you may not consider it very dreadful to be 
disliked on that account. It would be a waste 
of time to be afraid of the hate of those who 
hate the very idea of unselfishness. 

Do not believe that when you become un- 
selfish you will find that all people appre- 
ciate you. Far from it. In fact even those 
whose esteem you have already won may not 
understand you then. If you require the ap- 
probation of any person and plan to keep 
it, you may never obtain the desired state of 
mind called unselfishness. This leads us to 
the true paradox that he who keeps, loses; 
and he who throws away, gains all. 

"We are bound all around with traditions. 
We are ready to quote some great • authority 
in condemnation of everything. We can find 
fault with every action and with every 
thought. If a thought is a new one we de- 
nounce it as revolutionary ; if it is an old one 
we pass it over as a platitude. We demand 
that our own moods be answered in every- 
thing, and we forget the interests of mankind, 
and so lose touch with the Universe. Unselfish 
philosophy is the only remedy for this, and 
that philosophy is so inviting that all who 

230 



are tired of having the inferior of life will 
sooner or later come to it. 

It is a common practice to think how much 
better we are than previous generations were. 
We assume that mankind has advanced be- 
cause we have more learning than our an- 
cestors had. But is not mankind more selfish 
today than ever? Once man loved honor 
more than money. Once he loved gentleness 
more than fame. How should we compare 
with such if we were judged side by side? 
Should we not strive to gain understanding 
enough to place us at least on the same plane 
as our ancestors were? Should we not seek 
the true 'advancement which should place us 
on an even higher plane? Today we under- 
stand more than they did in olden time, and 
if we are not in proportion more unselfish 
we shall fall short of the stature attained 
by those worthies. 

Those things we now strive for may not 
yield us the satisfaction in the end which we 
expect. It is capable of mathematical proof 
that a simple breath of fresh air is as valu- 
able to one man who takes a certain amount 
of satisfaction in it, as a monetary fortune 

231 



would be to another who would take only the 
same certain amount of satisfaction in that. 
The difference is that there is no selfishness 
in taking advantage of the fresh air, while to 
gain the fortune it might be necessary to give 
up that great aim of existence, unselfishness. 
To give that up and gain for it only the same 
satisfaction that you might have taken in the 
very air you breathe is a transaction which 
shows a loss from every point of view. 

Children are often misunderstood and bit- 
terly wronged by those from whom they have 
the best right to expect unselfish love. Many 
a tender little heart is wounded daily by 
hasty words of rebuke from good parents who 
think they are thus doing their duty. Those 
who thus pride themselves are further from 
the unselfish standard than the children are, 
whose constant movement and chattering un- 
wittingly offend. If a child interrupts you 
and you are not at least as patient with him 
as you would like him to be with you if you 
had interrupted him, you do not set him a 
good example. With children your actions 
will speak louder than your words. The earnest 
endeavor they will even make to follow in- 

232 



structions which they know to be hypocritical, 
which they see are not even practical enough 
for the parent to practice, should show us 
that the little children are on a higher plane 
of unselfishness than we are. "To please 
mamma" they will do what they know mamma 
would never do to please them. Men who are 
politeness itself to a perfect stranger are 
often rude to their own children. "Why? 
Perhaps because the children are too loving to 
resent it. Oh, what a wonderful change would 
come over the world if we were all as loving, 
as meek, as patient and as forgiving as little 
children are ! Let us get back the forgiving 
heart of childhood. 

The standard of unselfish philosophy knows 
no distinctions between rich and poor, learned 
and unlearned, experienced \and inexperi- 
enced, talented and stupid. All are equally 
capable of gaining unselfishness, and the same 
grand gain is to be attained by him who tries 
for it now as was to be attained by him who 
started trying for it years ago. Provident 
is even handed, and the real reward of life 
is impartially available to all. The last man 
to go past the barrier catches the same train 

233 



as the man who has the longest been waiting 
for it. 

Distinctions of class, grades of rank, and 
differences due to clothes all vanish when the 
unselfish plane is reached. When we dis- 
cover the real worth of our neighbor's heart 
we shall forget about his shabby hat. When 
we find a peasant with as kindly a disposi- 
tion as has a king we shall cease to respect 
one more than the other. It is possible to be 
unselfish and be a domestic servant, and such 
an one is of a, better and higher class than 
would be a selfish society leader — and it is 
more honorable to be a friend of the former 
than of the latter. 

.Take, for illustration, the case of a man 
who has an unselfish heart, but whose words 
are rough, and whose actions are so mis- 
understood that they seem to give universal 
offense. Take also the case of a man whose 
heart is selfish, but who has a suave manner 
and manages to conciliate everybody and be- 
come a universal favorite. Which of those 
two men has attained to the higher and the 
better plane? Undoubtedly the former. The 
rough and ready farmer boy at home in the 

234 



fields often gains a truer insight into reality, 
and reaches a more enviable mental condition 
than the darling of society who already has 
all that of which worldly ambition could 
dream. 

Is a step toward unselfishness a downward 
step? In a sense, yes. Down from the pin- 
nacle of self-esteem, down from the mountain 
top of personal pleasure, into the valley of 
humility, and on to the solid ground of sim- 
ple understanding, is the first step away from 
self. Before your life can be of any service 
to others this step must be taken. Bury your 
selfish plans for the future with the dead past, 
and rise to real heights by the attainment of 
the state of mind which is in touch with the 
inner force of the Universe. 



235 



CHAPTER XXXV. 



THE SONG OF LIFE. 



One harp-string twanged alone a bitter discord 
seems, 
Together, ALL produce a glory shout! 
Awake my heart and catch the echoes sweet, 
And know that HERE and NOW, though time be 
fleet, 
IT ALL WORKS OUT! 

Though the universe were an instrument of 
a million keys and a million-million harp- 
strings, and though you were the least notice- 
able of all those strings, yet the great Musi- 
cian keeps you in perfect tune ! If you study 
a complicated piece of music you will see 
that there are introduced certain notes, which 
of themselves, taken apart from the others, 
would make a discord. Yet in the whole 
piece those notes are the very ones which give 
the greatest sweetness to the melody. In the 
infinitely complicated melody of the universe 
there are many harp strings which think 

236 



themselves discordant. Could they but know 
that, touched by a Master hand, their vibra- 
tions resound to the heights of heaven, giving 
the greatest real harmony to the real melody 
— could they but hear, with opened ears, one 
strain of that glory song of which they are a 
part, they would know of a surety that they 
had always been in absolutely perfect har- 
mony! If you think the Master is making a 
discordant sound through you, of course you 
have an ideal of greater " beauty and har- 
mony." But if you could see how much 
more beautiful and harmonious than your 
ideal ever could be is that which IS, you 
would experience a joyful awakening. 

Listen to the Song of Life. You may say 
at first that you do not hear it — but it is 
there, in your own heart. You will catch some 
fragment of it if you listen, and you will 
learn from it that the great cosmos is har- 
monious as a whole. 

The ideal state for a man to be in is a state 
of happiness not dependent on outward con- 
ditions. The man who is in that happy state 
is not influenced by surrounding opinion, he 

237 



has no bitter thoughts against others, and he 
does not plan anything that can cause un- 
pleasantness or loss to others. His mind 
dwells in harmony and he is continually find- 
ing out new phases of the law of harmony. 
This is his desire. His dream of harmony is 
more pleasant than sleep, and he is thankful 
for every waking moment day or night. 

Selfish thoughts are not so sweet and any 
man afflicted with them is glad enough to lose 
consciousness in sleep. But such thoughts 
are not really lasting and will hardly even 
bear examination before they are found to 
have vanished. 

Why do selfish thoughts come so much into 
evidence, making us imagine all kinds of il- 
lusions? One would think that the negative 
forces were consciously arrayed against any 
manifestation of the real truth. But deep 
down in the heart no man can doubt that 
harmony even now prevails supreme and that 
any blindness to its existence and beauty can 
only be temporary. 

Where can we go to really get away from 
harmony? On earth the beauty which some 
can. always see — in the glad sunshine, the 

238* 



fresh rain or the free wind — teach the wait- 
ing heart more of the law of harmony. In 
cities all kinds of enterprise fit in with all 
kinds of labor in a system. The harmony of 
that system may need to be developed, but 
the law of that harmony is there waiting for 
that development. 

If we go up in a balloon or dive in the sea, 
the beauty of clouds and sunshine, the perfect 
forms of nature prove that always, every- 
where, this law is in force, harmony, harmony, 
harmony. This is the positive law of exist- 
ence, the law of all laws, and any supposed 
law of inharmony is no real law at all. 

Harmony is our guardian angel and ex- 
empts us from the supposed law of poverty. 
It leads our thoughts into pleasant places, by 
cozy firesides and amid cheerful companion- 
ships. It gives fresh vigor and strength. It 
shows us the paths of life and makes them 
easy to our feet. Even though sorrow and 
suffering come upon us, the law of harmony 
buoys us up, and when threatened with death 
we become fearless, knowing the reality of 
that law r . Harmony in our hearts gives us 

239 



everything, even when face to face with out- 
ward inharmonies. It makes us comfortable 
in the midst of discomforts and fills the meas- 
ure of human happiness ,to overflowing. 
Nothing is more certain than that steps of 
harmony are steps to the delight that lasts 
continuously, and in that happy frame of 
mind there is quiet enjoyment for each one 
forever. 

What a bright vision is a glimpse of true 
harmony ! Astonishing in its very simplicity, 
and yet dazzling in its grandeur! Look up 
at the stars or upon the universe and admire ! 
Every thought produced by the knowledge of 
the infinitely great or the infinitely small is a 
thought of harmony and admiration. But 
selfish thoughts, which produce a sense of in- 
harmony, have no place in the great or in the 
small. When we study the sky, the earth, or 
the sea we learn everywhere of the greatness 
and high calling of man, the central idea of 
the whole. Not the selfish part of man which 
is often cross, weary, exasperated and dis- 
couraged, but the true man whose idea is a 
harmonious one, whose fancy takes him 
through the air with the speed of a bird, whose 

240 



buoyant heart lifts him above earth's troubles, 
and whose strength is born of courage. 

He that entertains the thought of harmony 
continually shall be a happiness to himself 
and others all the time. He shall not be 
afraid of outside dangers, because his treas- 
ure is within. Error and wrong will, continue 
to destroy and utter curses and insults, but 
the destruction shall not affect you nor the 
curses curse you, nor the insults insult you 
if your thought is still the harmonious one. 
By day your strength shall grow, by night 
your knowledge. Higher and higher thoughts 
will point upward to a better realization of 
the law of harmony from which even the very 
sense of the incongruous shall fade away. 

Because you fix your mind on harmony you 
cease to be a servant of inharmony. Because 
you entertain only harmonious thought you 
live in accordance with that law. Then per- 
sonal things do not matter, and personalities 
cease to be real to you. Then you know the 
true idea of all things and are no longer de- 
luded with the seeming. 

The sweetest strains that the greatest musi- 
cians ever composed were not reduced to notes 

241 



and bars. These men had harmony in their 
hearts long before they reduced it to writing, 
and the highest conceptions are not those 
which are soonest translated into conscious 
sound. So we may have our hearts full and 
overflowing with real song, although we may 
not be able to utter aloud a single note. 
That song in the heart is for all, and all 
will sooner or later sing it. It will awaken 
mankind to that life which has been the long- 
ing dream of the ages. 



242 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENCE. 



Nearly everyone who reads ' c The Great Ex- 
orcism, ' ' comes to a place therein where some 
question arises in his mind. One part seems 
perfectly clear to one, another to another, but 
each one finds some part that, to him, needs 
explanation. I am writing more than twenty 
letters every day to those who ask for further 
light. 

I have no permission from the writers of 
the following letters or questions to use their 
names, nor would I care to do so if I had. 
Anyone may, write to me ,with perfect cer- 
tainty that their names will be held in sacred 
confidence. I do not even tell you the State 
where the question comes from. And, in fact, 
each question is representative of many, and 
may be said to come from every state: 

243 



Question. — I do not understand what you 
mean by " relaxing to treatment." Tell me 
plainly just what it is. 

Answer. — The process is simple and yet it 
may take time. Just lie down in a restful 
position and breathe very deeply, breathing 
out with each outgoing breath all your own 
control over yourself, your body, your mind, 
your feelings, etc., and all your self-conscious 
will and wish. Just for the time being give 
up everything — healing, money, plans— 
EVERYTHING! Especially give up to me 
every thought about the sickness, affliction, 
poverty or whatever it is. Let everything 
have its own way just then. Do not try to 
"concentrate" or to> think any particular 
thoughts, or to keep your mind off any par- 
ticular thoughts — just LET any old thoughts 
come. I will be speaking to the sub-conscious- 
ness and it does not matter in the least what 
thoughts flash through the conscious mind as 
long as you do not try to control them. 

You can call my treatment to you at any 
time, for I am sensitive to the call that you 
consciously or unconsciously send me when- 

244 



ever you are relaxed to my treatments. Hun- 
dreds have been healed INSTANTANEOUS- 
LY through my treatments simply because 
they were able to relax in a perfect or abso- 
lute manner. Many more have found the 
healing a daily delight, finding pleasure in 
relaxing once in twenty-four hours. The 
credit, if any, for these wonderful results, is 
not at all due to me nor do I ever make a 
charge. It is a perfectly natural process that 
the life and vitality in me shall be drawn out 
to those needing it. There is a never failing • 
fountain of vitality within me — the more that 
is drawn out, the more comes — so draw from 
me dear Brother or Sister, absolutely freely ! 
Then the flood of vitality is a perfect revela- 
tion of LIFE to you and is instantaneously 
effective. 

Many will fall asleep before they experi- 
ence the true relaxation. Again the next day 
(or night) they will fall asleep before reach- 
ing perfect relaxation. The first wave of 
vitality received from me often produces this 
effect- — causing the sweetest sleep that can 
be imagined. But on further relaxations, 
more and more of the vitality waves can be 

245 



^absorbed until finally the perfect surrender 
of every part and of every wish is attained. 
Everything hinges on vitality. Would you 
have anything* more than you have? More 
vitality will bring it to you. "Would you at- 
tract some individual? Vitality is the only 
real attraction about anyone. Would you 
achieve great skill in art or literature or heal- 
ing or managing a home, a farm, or a busi- 
ness? The street of success in all these is 
vitality— LIFE ! 



Q. — You are religious and I do not believe 
in religion. I do not need healing but can 
you help in times when I need more mental 
power ? Just now I have an examination that 
I must pass. 

A. — Yes. When I, being religious, call that 
which I send you "spiritual power" I mean 
the same thing which you, not being religious, 
would call "vitality, or an extremely high 
voltage of electricity." You do not have to 
believe in religion to put to your ear a re- 
ceiver of a wireless telephone and hear the 
message. Neither do you have to believe in 

246 



order to receive from me a current of the 
high voltage of vitality. When it fills yon 
full of power yon will not object to it on the 
ground that you and I do not think alike as to 
religion. Do not hesitate ; you, perhaps, need 
me more than many religious ones. And I 
promise that you shall obtain from actual ex- 
perience, at least a faint glimmer of what un- 
selfish love really is and what it can do. 

"And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest."* 



*My readers are doubtless familiar with Leigh 
Hunt's beautiful poem, but I hope they will all 
read it again, not only because it explains the 
above reference but for the pure joy of reading a 
poetic masterpiece: 

ABOU BEN ADHEM. 
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!) 
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, 
And saw, within the moonlight in his room, 
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom, 
An angel writing in a book of gold; 
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold, 
And to the presence in the room he said, 
"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head, 
And, with a look made of all sweet accord, 
Answered, "The names of those who love the 

Lord." 
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so," 

247 



Q. — How long shall I continue to relax to 
your treatments? 

A. — Once you put your case in my hands, I 
hold you until you are healed. This will be a 
long or a short time according as you are 
willing to completely relax. Many have so 
absolutely given up themselves and their per- 
sonal wills that the healing has been instan- 
taneous. The claim of non-success, for ex- 
ample, is one that is cured only when the 
mind is absolutely relaxed to the power of 
Spiritual Life. But do not expect me to make 
twenty-dollar pieces to rain down upon you 
out of the sky. The Influence called Mam- 
mon can be cast out from your life, but not 
by physical means. The moment you take 
from me the spiritual power to overcome that 
influence, all will be well. 

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, 
But cheerily still; and said, "I pray thee, then, 
Write me as one who loves his fellow-men. ,, 
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night 
It came again, with a great wakening light, 
And showed the names whom love of God had 

blest; 
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest. 

248 



Q. — I gather that I ought to follow the 
impulses of my heart, which are natural ; and 
not the dictates of my head which are false. 

A. — It is no use to give you a rule to go by, 
because you will, in any case, obey the voice 
which calls you the loudest. Sometimes you 
will obey the call of the "dictates of your 
head" and sometimes you will follow the im- 
pulses of your heart. Now, just what do you 
mean by the word "natural?'' Is it not just 
as "natural" for a grown woman to have a 
head as a heart? "When you wrote the above 
your head was dictating it, suggesting a rule, 
— the heart does not suggest rules. So that 
if you followed your rule you would be fol- 
lowing the impulses of the heart in order to 
obey the dictates of the head. Your head 
dictates the word "ought" which you use 
above. Your head is fooling you ; it is making 
you think you are following your heart, when 
you are really more subservient than ever to 
the head, because you have put yourself under 
another of its rules. 



Q. — You say in your letter that the claim 
of non-success is one of mind. Now I won- 



249 



der if it is so in my case. I am living with 
my parents as they have need of me. They 
are getting old and there is very little money 
coming in, so it is just once in a while that 
I have a few cents to do with as I choose. 
I am so lonely. There is no one near here 
with whom I can associate. Oftimes I am 
heart-sick over it, and I cannot work my way 
out. The more I struggle and try, that much 
further away it all seems. 

A. — You are willing to be lonely and poor 
for the sake of helping your parents. You 
love to do every bit of work that you do for 
them, and there is a richness in that attitude 
which is richer than the richness of gold. 
Here is no claim of poverty ! If you cannot 
see that your loving attitude is a greater suc- 
cess than a fine house with servants and car- 
riages would be — even then your claim is not 
one of poverty, but of blindness ! Many are 
blind to their own riches — and well for them 
tha,t they are — till the time arrives when the 
Spirit has prepared them to stand the great 
exultation which comes when their eyes are 
opened ! 

250 



Q. — Are you not encouraging imposition 
by your method, leading people to take ad- 
vantage of you with the idea of obtaining 
"something for nothing?" 

A. — No. And such an attitude of mind 
need not deter any from applying and taking 
freely anything that they CAN receive, for 
.that attitude needs the healing force of lov- 
ing vitality as much as anything else does. 
No man can adopt a "holding back" attitude 
and at the same time be able to receive freely. 
But why would it not be all right to feel quite 
free to accept or give, just while relaxing for 
treatment and then change your attitude 
afterward? To do this one would have to be 
without any mental reservation whatever at 
the time of relaxation, and then adopt a res- 
ervation, spontaneously. If you can do this 
it will suit me just as well. The vitality I 
send is a free gift from Spirit — it is beyond 
price — you cannot pay for it even if you are 
a millionaire. Dear Brother, "take ad- 
vantage" of me all you can. I am just as 
glad to give to one trying to "take advant- 
age" as to anyone else. BUT CAN HE RE- 
CEIVE, or does such a man have to adopt 

251 



the attitude of giving his dearest possession, 
before he can receive ? It is the attitude that 
counts. As long as your attitude is free dur- 
ing the relaxation, you will receive the vitality 
waves from me. 

Q. — Must the patient believe in order to be 
healed ? 

A. — No, but he must be willing to be healed 
in this way, and be willing to be led into all 
truth. 

Q. — What about broken bones? 

A. — If these are set by a surgeon, then 
treatment will allay all inflammation and 
pain. _______ 

Q. — Is distance any obstacle to Spirit? 
A. — No. The power of the ALL-WILL can 
concentrate wherever it is sent, and at once. 



Q. — Why, then, is not the first treatment 
always completely effective? 

A. — In cases where my first treatment has 
not absolutely cured, the patient's will was 
opposed to the WILL of Spirit. If you give 
up "yourself and whatever you know" and 

252 



all you have and are, one treatment will in- 
stantaneously cure you. If you are holding 
something! back it may take a long course of 
treatment. "Where the character is not ready 
to receive healing freely, because it is not of a 
free nature, the "WILL of Spirit is to first de- 
velop the character. 



Q. — You say, "If you are willing to cast 
your burden on me, I cannot tell you how 
gladly I will take it all and leave you free." 
Spirit sends you out with pack on back to 
gather up the rags and bones, and the cop- 
per and brass of disease and desire. He takes 
the pack and pays you back in the coin of 
His Eealm, which is JOY. If instead, he paid 
you out of the pack, would you work for the 
Spirit still? 

A. — Whatever is coming afterwards would 
not alter anyone's present feelings. If what 
one did were done out of ambition or hope for 
reward, a difference of prospective reward 
would of course make a difference in his 
actions. But if he had acquired the faculty 
of never acting unless he felt like it in his 
blood, or hands or bones or heart, then, how- 

253 



ever dark or forbidding the outlook, he 
would still keep on doing what he felt like. 
This is about as near as I can come to answer- 
ing any question which asks "What would 
happen, if something else happened first ?" 



Q. — Can you make me understand by tele- 
pathy things which I fail to comprehend 
when expressed in words? 

A. — The relaxation to my treatments will 
be found to be the greatest joy as well as the 
greatest bodily invigorator which can be 
imagined. Once every twenty-four hours 
will be often enough to bring you out of bond- 
age and show you the TRUTH. 

It is all very well for people (including 
myself) to explain to you things which they 
see, but by the inspiration which will come to 
you when you are in a state of surrender you 
will be enabled to see those things for your- 
self and the uplifting knowledge that comes 
to you from within will far eclipse any mere 
hearsay. 

If you write to me you will receive the real 
answer to your questions the first time you 

254 



relax after I have received your letter. Any 
answer I could make in writing would merely 
be a "reply," and would not lead your heart 
to actually see the truth as the inspiration 
from within will. 

Moreover, you cannot really believe any- 
thing' until you experience it in your heart. 
Anything that some one told you is not a 
subject for faith or lack of faith. It is a sub- 
ject only for credulity or incredulity. For 
instance, it is impossible to really believe in 
the christpower until one actually feels its 
inspiration. 

That inspiration is yours the moment that 
you relax and surrender. 



Q. — There is one thing that stands in the 
way of my health and spiritual unfoldment, 
and that is resentment or anger at what I 
consider a great injustice that was done to 
me last summer. Some people here started 
a scandal about me, that just about crushed 
me, and although it was only a short time 
after the report started, that they were con- 
vinced they had wronged me and have since 
done all they could to undo the mischief, it 
has embittered me terribly. I fairly hate 
them, but I know this state of mind hurts me 

255 



more than it does them so I try to feel kindly 
toward them and would succeed if I did not 
have to meet them on the street. I wish I 
could overcome this feeling as it wears me so 
terribly. 

A. — Yes. You want, for your own benefit 
exclusively, to feel kindly toward certain per- 
sons. You know it w r ould heal your body if 
you could love them instead of* hating them. 
For self reasons you want to love. But Self 
and Love are two totally different voices, each 
calling you in opposite directions. Self would 
have you GET and Love would have you 
GIVE. One is the soul-stultifying process 
of drawing in and the other is the illuminat- 
ing process of radiation. There is no use in 
Self trying to love — it never can. So what 
are you to do under those circumstances? 
Bravely live your own life. As long as Self 
is alive within you, ruling your consciousness, 
you are in a state of preparation — your body 
is being prepared for the dominion of Spirit. 
When Self is dethroned and Spirit takes the 
government of your body, it will radiate love 
as naturally and as freely as the sun radiates 
light. This is the "Kingdom of Heaven " 
which comes within your body, as soon as the 
preparatory mission of Self is accomplished. 

256 



Q. — I have always longed for affection and 
have tried to show it to my own and merit it 
from them. I am greatly worried about my 
financial situation. I am so heart-sick and 
lonely and humiliated when I remember how 
I have been treated and cast aside. 

A. — I omit the details given, but, on the 
face of the above, it is obvious that your own 
affection is not real. Real affection does not 
have to "try" to show itself to its own. Tf 
your heart were full of love it would radiate 
it, driving out worry, heart-sickness, loneli- 
ness and humiliation. But, perhaps the humi- 
liation is the best thing that ever happened to 
you! You know folks pray fervently to the 
Lord to be made humble, and then they very 
often object to be humiliated! If you would 
reach the other side of the Valley of Humilia- 
tion,' it is necessary to go through it. Humilia- 
tion is the quick process of getting more 
humble. Uncomfortably quick, perhaps, you 
say ? Yes, but let us be patient with it, how- 
ever uncomfortable. 



Q. — Should I continue doing office work? 
I would greatly appreciate having a position 

257 



in work along the lines of the higher thought ; 
something that would help me in living my 
own life. 

A. — If you need help from outside of you 
to "live your own life," it is not your own 
life you are trying to live, but you are trying 
for the kind of life you think you would like. 
To live your own life all you have to do is to 
BE WHAT YOU ARE, and not pretend to 
be anything else— and that genuine spirit will 
illuminate ANY walk of life. 



Q. — I am trying to conquer my pains with 
will power, but it does not work. 

A. — The Self will is impotent. The real rea- 
son why you are gifted with a Self will is not 
that you may work wonders with it, nor that 
you may at all affect anything whatever with 
it, but that it may develop the will organs of 
your mind to the point where the Will of 
Spirit can express itself through them. 



Q. — A friend of mine is claiming an estate 
of millions that is in the Bank of England. 
He says the money is the Lord's and that 
when he gets it he will devote it to the Lord 's 
service. I desire you to use your power, or 

258 



agency, to help him. He is today a poor man 
but when he comes into his own whoever has 
rendered him a service w T ill be handsomely 
rewarded. I will thank you in advance for 
doing this good deed. 

A. — Here is a Self-will appealing for help 
for another Self-will — wanting the Spirit to 
interfere to enrich some man with untold 
millions. If that man applied to me for treat- 
ment I would not refuse to take his case and 
awaken him to the particular truth that he is 
now ready for. But I do not treat anyone 
on the request of somebody else. You are try- 
ing to render him a service by asking me to 
do so, and for your sake I hope he will take 
the will for .the deed and handsomely reward 
you "WHEN he comes into his own." Mean- 
time, as he says, the money is the Lord's and 
He is keeping it where it is 'for the present. 



Q. — I have just told you that I received 
health from your treatment, but friend, my 
financial affairs are a perfect tangle. I have 
a daughter, married, and w^e live together. 
Her husband is a good boy — he doesn't drink 
anything intoxicating, doesn't swear nor use 
tobacco in any form, is very kind-hearted and 

259 



honest natured, intelligent and very indus- 
trious, but there is something wrong some- 
where. I don't know what it is, but I believe 
you w r ill know. We sometimes get into debt 
and find it very hard to get out again. 

A. — Mothers-in-law get an unenviable rep- 
utation from just such examples as you arei 
Apparently there is no satisfying you with a 
son-in-law. He is perfectly sober, industrious, 
intelligent, loving, honest — everything that is 
good. You don't see anything the matter 
with him but you still insist that there must 
be something. You have nothing to complain 
of that you know of so you say there must be 
something wrong that you don't know of. 
The Spirit has almost instantaneously an- 
swered your request for health, and now you 
have everything you wanted. But even this 
does not suit you and you apply again to ask 
if the Spirit will not find out something 
wrong with your son-in-law for you. No! 
There is nothing wrong! As for debt, it is 
the foundation of the commercial world to- . 
day. You may not like it, but at present you 
have to live in such a world, based on such a 
foundation, so I suggest that you overcome 
your repugnance to it. 

260 



Q. — I always had to look out for myself as 
well as for others and am not in the habit of 
having much done for me unless there is an 
object behind it; in fact, I think I have "been 
worked/' so to speak, the greater part of my 
life, but I really do enjoy helping others bet- 
ter than anything in the world ; but I would 
like to have my philanthropy appreciated, 
which I feel is not the case most of the time. 

A. — "Love seeketh not her own." No one 
appreciates philanthropy that is not inspired 
by love. If yours was inspired by love it 
would not seek appreciation. "Love never 
faileth," but philanthropy seeking apprecia- 
tion always fails, and in addition to failure, 
has the sense of having "been worked." 



Q. — I w T orry about my people even more 
than I do about myself. I do not think I have 
dreaded my work so much lately. I will not 
admit I am lazy but when I have so much 
more work than I know what to do with I get 
so nervous. 

A. — It is not called being lazy when one 
lets "worry" interfere with work. No doubt 
that worrying habit is preparing your mental 
faculties for seeing, later on, that you can 
conquer. For your mind can only get past 
261 



worry by bravely going through it. Worry- 
ing about your people will not hurt them. 



Q. — Some New Thought healers say you 
cannot be healed by the occult forces unless 
you pay a big price for it, and that means 
that poor people like my husband and me can 
just die and only people that have money and 
are willing to spend it can get well. 

A. — In a sense they are quite right. To 
put yourself in touch with the Divine Power 
you have to pay a big price. You have to give 
up all. If you can give up your sense of pos- 
session without paying your possessions away, 
all well and good. If not, then pay them 
away — everything you have. Until you can 
say, "I own everything, but I possess noth- 
ing, I AM THAT I AM, and nothing else," 
you come not into the perfect realization of 
power. The poor have an easier road than 
the rich, for the reason that it is easier to let 
go of small possessions than great ones. 



Q. — I am utterly miserable and very, very 
unhappy. I am 34 years old and w^as mar- 
ried when very young, a school girl. I bit- 
terly hate the man who spoiled my life, who 

262 



beats me cruelly and is always drank, v 
ing the money I should have to live on. In my 

home life I have had no love or happiness, so 
when another man told me he loved me as a 
friend I loved him in return with a love that 
made up for all I had missed in life. I sang 
where before I had wept. I could do my 
heaviest work cheerfully, had more patience, 
could pass over the many unkind things in 
my life without being hurt. I thanked God 
for the brightness in my life. I tried to be 
kind to everyone, and faithfully do what was 
required of me. intending to be satisfied with 
the few minutes pleasure that now and then 
was mine. But something has come between 
my friend and I. and that was the influence 
of another woman. I have cried whole nights 
and begged God to send him back to me. I 
did not ask much — only the faithfulness of 
one friend, when so many women's lives are 
full of love and happiness. I cannot get the 
love for him out of my heart, though I have 
tried ever so hard to do so. My general 
health is good enough, only nervous from 
worry and unhappiness. Now did you ever 
hear of anyone more miserable? 

A. — If you do not like your circumstances 
and never could like them, perhaps it is one 
of those extreme eases where a separation or 

263 



divorce is legally justified. But it may be 
that in another mood you would feel that you 
had exaggerated a little. If you could rise to 
the opportunity, you have before you a won- 
derful opportunity to conquer by love. Re- 
joice, in that you are thought worthy of such 
a refining fire as that through which you are 
passing. "When the chemists of France melt 
up the ruby dust to form one perfect crystal, 
they put it through a heat which even refined 
gold has never known. Thenceforth that fire 
lives at the heart of the perfect reconstructed 
ruby, radiating eternally its lustre and glory. 
You are found worthy to be that wondrous 
jewel. You are now going through the most 
intense heat at the heart of the vortex of the 
fire. No wonder you cry out ! But I know 
that you will come out with the fire of trans- 
figuration in your heart, and I weep for you ! 
But they are tears of joy. 



Q. — I do not know how to overcome by 
love. 

A. — Overcoming by love is not in knowing 
how. If the Self knew how and tried to do it, 
it would be the sham imitation of overcoming 
264 



by love. Only Love can overcome by love 
and Love waits until it is enthroned. 



Q. — I can realize perfect health, wealth and 
happiness for others. I am 44 years of age, 
but I intend to be no older. I am a mile from 
town and the winters are frightfully cold 
here. We are literally walled up alive. Do 
you wonder I want freedom from all these 
environments? I have dug the truth for the 
past ten years and am high up, spiritually. 
My mission is to teach and heal. I want 
money to get away from these winters and 
help me to proper place, means for study, to 
pay women for doing my w^ork, etc., etc. 
These are all reasonable desires, surely ! I will 
to be a mighty healing power. 

A. — Yes, your desires are all reasonable, 
but fortunately are never granted, even if 
they are reasonable, unless it is best for your 
development to receive them. The Spirit 
chooses the way for you. It may not be 
through sweet scented meadows, comfortable 
climate, with servants to wait on you and 
money to travel, giving you a great power 
over others. It may be through poverty and 
loneliness and humiliation. But you know of 

265 



a surety that the way chosen is the right way 
for you. And that knowledge is better than 
if you could have your desires, however reas- 
onable, and feel in doubt as to where they 
would lead you. Search your heart and see 
if you are not like a soldier in the ranks fal- 
tering at the task before him, yet wishing he 
could take command of the regiment ! 



Q. — Why is it the minister will refuse to 
investigate this beautiful truth; bowed down 
in ignorance and satisfied to remain so ? 

A. — To answer your question I must begin 
at the very beginning. The formation, or 
character of each individual body is different. 
There are great groups into which these dif- 
ferent characters classify themselves. Now 
each character naturally selects its own classi- 
fication, and it selects the classification where 
its own development will be best promoted. 
Some people are inevitably Methodists, some 
Catholics, some Presbyterians, and so on, ac- 
cording to their characters, because a par- 
ticular phase of truth is what those particular 
characters naturally call for. If you can see 
this, you can see that the teaching which ap- 

266 



peals the strongest to any particular char- 
acter is the teaching which that character 
needs the most. Then the Methodist minister, 
who preaches to characters whose develop- 
ment will best be promoted by Methodist 
teachings, would be spoiling himself for 
preaching that way if he allowed his own de- 
sire for knowledge to draw him away from 
the phase of truth which his audiences need. 
It would be very enticing to a Methodist, 
Presbyterian or any other minister, to catch 
a glimpse of the broader aspect of Truth. 
But would it not be selfish, inasmuch as it 
would prevent him from laying the stress 
which his audiences need, on his own par- 
ticular phase of Truth? In ideal life every 
man is kept fitted for his job as long as his 
job needs him. So that is the reason the min- 
isters refuse to investigate. 



Q. — Are the rules for spiritual progress 
given in " Light on the Path," by M. C. of 
any practical value? 

A. — Very much so. But before attempting 
any spiritual progress of any kind one must 
be where he can see that all else is as nothing. 

267 



And herein is the beauty and power of every 
earnest religion. For every religion teaches 
its disciples to surrender wholly. 

Mabel Collins claimed to have written down 
the rules called " Light on the Path," from 
the dictation of a disembodied Spirit, or 
"Master," As thousands have learned these 
rules by heart my readers may like to have 
them repeated here for reference. "Light on 
the Path" is as follows: 



Part I. 

These rules are written for all disciples. 
Attend you to them. 

Before the eyes can see, they must be in- 
capable of tears. Before the ear can hear, it 
must have lost its sensitiveness. Before the 
voice can speak in the presence of the Mas- 
ters, it must have lost the power to wound. 
Before the soul can stand in the presence of 
the Masters, its feet must be washed in the 
blood of the heart. 

1.. Kill out ambition. 

2. Kill out desire of life. 

3. Kill out desire of comfort. 

4. Work as those work who are ambitious. 
Respect life as those do wiio desire it. Be 
happy as those are who live for happiness. 

268 



Seek in the heart the source of evil, and ex- 
punge it. It lives fruitfully in the heart of 
the devoted disciple, as well as in the heart 
of the man of desire. Only the strong can kill 
it out. The weak must wait for its growth, 
its fruition, its death. And it is a plant that 
lives and increases throughout the ages. It 
flowers when the man has accumulated unto 
himself innumerable existences. He who will 
enter upon the path of power must tear this 
thing out of his heart. And then the heart 
will bleed, and the whole life of the man seem 
to be utterly dissolved. This ordeal must be 
endured; it may come at the first step of the 
perilous ladder which leads to the path of 
life; it may not come until the last. But, O 
disciple, remember that it has to be endured, 
and fasten the energies of your soul upon the 
task. Live neither in the present nor the 
future, but in the eternal. This giant weed 
cannot flower there : this blot upon existence 
is wiped out by the very atmosphere of eter- 
nal thought. 

5. Kill out all sense of sepa-rateness. 

6. Kill out desire for sensation. 

7. Kill out the hunger for growth. 

8. Yet stand alone, and isolated, because 
nothing that is embodied, nothing that is con- 
scious of separation, nothing that is out of 



the eternal, can aid yon. Learn from sensa- 
tion and observe it; because only so can you 
commence the science of self-knowledge, and 
plant your foot on the first step of the lad- 
der. Grow as the flower grows, unconsciously, 
but eagerly anxious to open its soul to the 
air. So must you press forward to open your 
soul to the eternal. But it must be the eternal 
that draws forth your strength and beauty, 
not desire for growth. For, in the one case, 
you develop in the luxuriance of purity, in 
the other, you harden by the forcible passion 
for personal stature. 

9. Desire only that which is within you. 

10. Desire only that which is beyond you. 

11. Desire only that which is unattainable. 

12. For within you is the light of the 
worid, the only light that can be shed upon 
the Path. If you are unable to perceive it 
within you, it is useless to look for it else- 
where. It is beyond you; because, w r hen you 
reach it, you have lost yourself. It is un- 
attainable, because it forever recedes. You 
will enter the light, but you will never touch 
the flame. 

13. Desire poiver ardently. 

14. Desire peace fervently. 

15. Desire possessions above all. 

16. But those possessions must belong to 
the pure soul only, and be possessed there- 

270 



fore by all pure souls equally, and thus be the 
especial property of the whole only when 
united. Hunger for such possessions as can 
be held by the pure soul, that you may ac- 
cumulate wealth for that united spirit of life 
which is your only true self. The peace you 
shall desire is that sacred peace which noth- 
ing can disturb, and in which the soul grows 
as does the holy flower upon the still lagoons. 
And that power which the disciple shall covet 
is that which shall make him appear as noth- 
ing in the eyes of men. 

17. Seek out the way. 

Note. — These four words seem, perhaps, too 
slight to stand alone. The disciple may say, 
Should I study these thoughts at all did I not 
seek out the way ? Yet do not pass on hastily. 
Pause and consider awhile. Is it the w T ay you 
desire, or is it that there is a dim perspective 
in your visions of great heights to be scaled 
by yourself, of a great future for you to com- 
pass? Be warned. The way is to be sought 
for its own sake, not with regard to your feet 
that shall tread it. 

18. Seek the way by retreating within. 

19. Seek the way ~by advancing boldly 
without. 

20. Seek it not by any one road. To each 
temperament, there is one road which seems 
the most desirable. But the way is not found 

271 



by devotion alone, by religious contemplation 
alone, by ardent progress, by self-sacrificing 
labor, by studious observation of life. None 
alone can take the disciple more than one step 
onwards. All steps are necessary to make up 
the ladder. The vices of men become steps 
in the ladder, one by. one, as they are sur- 
mounted. The virtues of man are steps in- 
deed, necessary — not by any means to be dis- 
pensed with. Yet, though they create a fair 
atmosphere and a happy future, they are use- 
less if they stand alone. The whole nature of 
man must be used wisely by the one w T ho de- 
sires to enter the way. Each man is to him- 
self absolutely the way, the truth, and the 
life. But he is only so when he grasps his 
whole individuality firmly, and, by the force 
' of his awakened spiritual will, recognizes this 
individuality as not himself, but that thing 
which he has with pain created for his own 
use, and by means of which he progresses, as 
his growth gradually develops his intelligence, 
to reach to the life beyond individuality. 
When he knows that for this his wonderful 
complex, separated life exists, then, indeed, 
and then only, he is upon the way. Seek it 
by plunging into the mysterious and glorious 
depths of your own inmost being. Seek it by 
testing all experience, by utilizing the senses, 
in order to understand the growth and mean- 



ing of individuality, and the beauty of ob- 
scurity of those other divine fragments which 
are struggling side by side with you, and 
form the race to which you belong. Seek it 
by study of the laws of being, the laws of 
nature, the laws of the supernatural; and 
seek it by making profound obeisance to the 
dim star that burns within. Steadily, as you 
watch and worship, its light will grow 
stronger. Then you may know you have 
found the beginning of the way. And, when 
you have found the end, its light will sud- 
denly become the infinite light. 

21. p Look for the flower to bloom in the 
silence that follows the storm; not till then. 

It shall grow, it will shoot up, it will make 
branches and leaves and form buds, wiiile the 
storm continues, while the battle lasts. But 
not till the whole personality of the man is 
dissolved and melted — not until it is held 
by the divine fragment which has created it, 
as a mere subject for grave experiment and 
experience — not until the whole nature has 
yielded, and become subject unto its higher 
self, can the bloom open. Then will come a 
calm such as comes in a tropical country after 
a heavy rain, when Nature works so swiftly 
that one may see her action. Such a calm will 
come to the harassed spirit. And, in the deep 
silence, the mysterious event will occur which 

273 



will prove that the way has been found. Call 
it by what name you will, it is a voice that 
speaks where there is none to speak, it is a 
messenger that comes, — a messenger without 
form or substance, — or it is the flower of the 
soul that has opened. It cannot be described 
by any metaphor. But it can be felt after, 
looked for, and desired, even amid the raging 
of the storm. The silence may last a moment 
of time, or it may last a thousand years. But 
it will end. Yet you will carry its strength 
with you. Again and again the battle must 
be fought and won. It is only for an interval 
that nature can be still. 

Those written above are the first of the 
rules which are written on the walls of the 
Hall of Learning. Those that ask shall have. 
Those that desire to read shall read. Those 
who desire to learn shall learn. 



Part II. 

Out of the silence that is peace, a resonant 
voice shall arise. And this voice will say : " It 
is not well, thou hast reaped, now thou must 
sow. And, knowing this voice to be the si- 
lence itself, thou wilt obey. 

Thou who art now a disciple, able to stand, 
able to hear, able to see, able to speak; who 
hast conquered desire, and attained to self- 
knowledge; who hast seen thy soul in its 



bloom, and recognized it, and heard the voice 
of the silence, — go thou to the Hall of Learn- 
ing, and read what is written there for thee. 

1. Stand aside in the coming battle; and 
though thou fight est, be not thou the warrior. 

2. Look for the warrior, and let him fight 
in thee. 

3. Take his orders for battle, and obey 
them. 

4. Obey him, not as though he were a gen- 
eral, but as though he were thyself, and his 
spoken words were the utterance of thy se- 
cret desires; for he is thyself, yet infinitely 
wiser and stronger than thyself. Look for 
him, else, in the fever and hurry of the fight, 
thou may est pass him; and he will not know 
thee unless thou knowest him. If thy cry 
reach his listening ear, then he wt.11 fight in 
thee, and fill the dull void within. And, if 
this is so, then canst thou go through the fight 
cool and unwearied, standing aside, and 
letting him battle for thee. Then it will be 
impossible for thee to strike one blow amiss. 
But if thou look not for him, if thou pass 
him by, then there is no safeguard for thee. 
Thy brain will reel, thy heart grow uncertain, 
and, in the dust of the battlefield, thy sight 
and senses will fail, and thou will not know 
thy friends from thy enemies. 

He is thyself : yet thou art finite, and 

275 






liable to- error. He is eternal, and is sure. 
He is eternal truth. When once he has en- 
tered thee, and become thy warrior, he will 
never utterly desert thee; and at the day of 
the great peace, he will become one with thee. 

5. Listen to the song of life. 

6. Store in your memory the melody you 
hear. 

7. Learn from it the lesson of harmony. 

8. You can stand upright now, firm as a 
rock amid the turmoil, obeying the warrior 
who is thyself and thy king, unconcerned in 
the battle save to do his bidding, having no 
longer any care as to the result of the bat- 
tle, — for one thing only is important, that the 
warrior shall win; and you know he is in- 
capable of defeat, — standing thus, cool and 
awakened, use the hearing you have acquired 
by pain and by the destruction of pain. Only 
fragments of the great song come to your 
ears while you are but man. But, if you 
listen to it, remember it faithfully, so 
that none which has reached you is lost, and 
endeavor to learn from it the meaning of the 
mystery which surrounds you. In time you 
will need no teacher. For as the individual 
has voice, so has that in which the individual 
exists. Life itself has speech, and is never 
silent. And its utterance is not, as you that 
are deaf may suppose, a cry; it is a song. 

276 



Learn from it that you are a part of the har- 
mony; learn from it to obey the laws of the 
harmony. 

9. Regard earnestly all the life that sur- 
rounds you. 

10. Learn to look intelligently into the 
hearts of men. 

11. Regard most earnestly your own heart. 

12. For through your own heart comes the 
one light Which can illuminate life, and make 
it clear to your eyes. 

Study the hearts of men, that you may 
know what is that world in which you live, 
and of which you will be a part. Regard 
the constantly changing and moving life 
which surrounds you, for it is formed by the 
hearts of men; and, as you learn to under- 
stand their constitution and meaning, you 
will by degrees be able to read the larger 
word of life. 

13. Speech comes only with knowledge. 
Attain to knowledge, and you will attain to 
speech. 

14. Having obtained the use of the inner 
senses, having conquered the desires of the 
outer senses, having conquered the desires of 
the individual soul, and having obtained 
knowledge, prepare now, O disciple ! to enter 
upon the way in reality. The path is found : 
make yourself ready to tread it. 

277 > 



15. Inquire of the earth, the air, and the 
water, of the secrets they hold for you. The 
development of your inner senses will enable 
you to do this. 

16. Inquire of the holy ones of the earth, 
of the secrets they hold for you. The con- 
quering of the desires of the outer senses, will 
give you the right to do this. 

17. Inquire of the inmost, the one, of its 
final secret, which it holds for you through 
the ages. - 

The great and difficult victory, the con- 
quering of the desires of the individual soul, 
is a work of ages; therefore expect not to 
obtain its reward until ages of experience 
have been accumulated. When the time of 
learning this seventeenth rule is reached, man 
is on the threshold of becoming more than 
man. 

18. The knowledge which is now yours is 
only yours because your soul has become one 
with all pure souls and with the inmost. It 
is a trust vested in you by the Most High. 
Betray it, misuse your knowledge, or neglect 
it, and it is possible even now for you to fall 
from the high estate you have attained. 
Great ones fall back, even from the threshold, 
unable to sustain the weight of their respon- 
sibility, unable to pass on. Therefore look 
forward always with awe and trembling to 

278 






this moment, and be prepared for the battle. 

19. It is written, that, for him who is on 
the threshold of divinity, no law can be 
framed, no guide exist. Yet to enlighten 
the disciple, the final struggle may be thus 
expressed : — 

Hold fast to that which has neither sub- 
stance nor existence. 

20. Listen only to the voice which is. 
soundless. 

21. Look only on that which is invisible 
alike to the inner and the outer sense. 



Q. — I have wandered through all the theor- 
ies of the "New Thought" — so called. It is 
simply a rehash of the old mystics, and Swed- 
enborg — a little here and there — with no 
practical thought. I yearn for a realization 
of practical, positive thought in my own life. 

A. — The more we study anything supposed 
to be new, the more we find truths that 
ancient wisdom seems to have recorded. If 
by hard study we seem to evolve a new 
theory and then take up the Bible (for in- 
stance) we will find that "new" theory 
already set down there. "New Thought" 
teachers have evolved several doctrines, the 
chief of which are as follows : 

279 



1. That there are not several individual 
souls or Individual Spirits, but only One. 
This is the doctrine of the Cosmic Conscious- 
ness. 

2. That that One Soul, called "Life," ex- 
presses itself through organizations of forces, 
called bodies, differently, according to the 
differences of the organizations ; but that each 
organization inevitably expresses that Life 
the very best that it can under the circum- 
stances; and that every person or creature 
obeys the voice that calls it loudest; and 
there is no such thing as "guilt" except in a 
legal sense. This is the doctrine of Perfect 
Justification. 

3. That the Soul or "I" is not hurt when 
the body or organization, goes through 
changes which cause the temporary feeling 
called pain; and that the constitution of tfie 
organization is such that it can feel no pain 
except such as it needs for its growth; and 
that no external circumstances can affect it 
except as it may call to itself such effects for 
its own good ; that all so-called pain is purely 
nervous, and therefore disappears when the 

280 



nerves are quieted by Spiritual Power. This 
is the doctrine of the Unreality of Pain. 

4. That there is nothing in the organiza- 
tion of a body that has in it any tendency to 
grow old or die, except the Self-Consciousness ; 
" and that it is possible for the Self-Conscious- 
ness to die before the body dies;' and that 
then the body, relieved from that element of 
death, becomes wholly loving in action, tak- 
ing no thought of Self ; and that such loving 
action fits in with the tendency of the race 
to perpetuate itself, not on the plane of hav- 
ing posterity, but on the plane of rejuvenat- 
ing and perpetuating the body, freed from 
the Self-Conscious element ; and that it is pos- 
sible for such a body to ' ' live forever. ' ' This 
is the doctrine of Regeneration. 

5. That every separate bodily organiza- 
tion has a different perception of the truth 
of Being; that such difference arises from a 
difference of formation or organization; that 
such difference of formation is desirable, the 
tendency of the race being to differentiate 
more and more in order to make the Idw of 
Selection more and more effective ; that there- 

281 



fore the only duty of a bodily organization 
is to live its own life, however different from 
any custom or established belief ; that it may 
be as bound by tradition as it pleases, or as 
free as it pleases ; or as much bound by obliga- 
tion as it pleases or as free as it pleases. This 
is the doctrine of freedom. 

6. That no ceremony can alter the char- 
acter of a selfish action or selfish desire; ' 
that no extraordinary powers or supreme in- 
spiration can be evoked unless such actions 
and desires are cleansed from the body. This 
is the doctrine of Purity. 

Now the perception of all these doctrines 
is denied to most of us, and yet we can under- 
stand that if one saw the meaning of them 
and should read the ancient books, he would 
discover that in all ages this knowledge has 
been offered to all mankind. 

He would discover that every religion and 
every sect of every religion has been founded 
upon some combination of these doctrines. 

After carefully and painfully evolving a 
wonderful formula, what would be the feel- 
ings of a master chemist if he took down some 
old book of reference and there found the 

282 



same formula, given as a curiosity that had 
been accepted and rejected, again and again? 

So, if the discoverers of these "New 
Thought" truths will afterwards read Con- 
fucius, or Buddha, or the Bible, or Plato, or 
Shakespeare or Emerson, they will exclaim, 
"Why he knew that!" 

It might be interesting to the student to 
compare certain portions of those books, but 
here I will give only a few references from 
the Bible alone, which indicate that knowl- 
edge is the same eternally, and it is only the 
appreciation of that knowledge which has 
changed. 

Doctrine No. 1, above: Ex. 3: 14; John 8: 
58 ; Rev. 1 : 18 ; John 14 : 8, 9. 

No. 2. Acts 13 : 39 ; Gal. 3 : 25 ; I Cor. 6 : 
L2. 

No. 3. -I Cor. 3: 16, 21; 6: 17, 19, 20; II. 
Cor. 6 : 9, 16 ; Dan. 3 : 25. 

No. 4. Job 33: 25; Ps. 103: 5; Hos. 2: 
15 ; Isa. 4 : 31 ; II Cor. 4:16; Col. 3 : 10 ; Rom. 
12: 2; Tit. 3: 5. 

No. 5. John 8 : 32. 36 ; Rom. 6 : 18, 22 ; 8 : 
2; Gal. 5: 1. 

283 



No. 6. Matt. 19: 12, 29; 22: 30; I Cor. 7: 
15, 29. 

Now, I am quite well aware that people 
who do not perceive these doctrines will think 
that I am trying to prove them by quoting 
" Scripture. ' ' But I am not at all trying to 
prove these doctrines, nor do I care who has 
the necessary perception to analyze them or 
who has not. . Whatever anyone else believes 
can be equally supported by ancient writings, 
for the simple reason that any belief is a de- 
gree of the true knowledge. 



Q. — I know that the science of what we are 
teaches that w^e are led and directed by a Su- 
preme Intelligence — yea, cared for and loved ; 
and this at times has been wonderfully mani- 
fested to me during the past — but just now I 
seem starving for love. I suffer from being 
treated unkindly. I know that all inharmony 
which we meet with in others is really within 
ourselves. I have always tried to call this 
problem an angel in disguise. 

A. — "Why should you "try" to call any 
problem an angel in disguise? Is it because 
Self is not willing to suffer, and wishes to 

284 






hypnotize yon into shirking your experiences 
by pretending that you see angels' wings? 
There is an angel, but if you do not see him 
yet, straining your eyes will not bring him 
within your vision. If the devil appears unto 
you, face him as if he really were the devil. 
Even though you may wish to believe he is 
an angel in disguise, to you he really is the 
devil. You think you are starving because 
you do not get enough love and kindness. 
Now that in you which wants to get love and 
kindness from others is the Self, and the 
sooner it starves, and starves to death, the bet- 
ter. Your real being expresses love by lov- 
ing, not by getting love, and the more ap- 
parently unloving the environment is, the 
greater the joy in radiating love. A lamp in 
a room already lighted up cannot express 
itself as it could in a room previously dark. 
If the Self starves to death your body will 
be well rid of it and will thereafter be free to 
express real love. This is the angel in dis- 
guise. 



Q. — I wonder what of practical truth there 
really is in this New Philosophy. Perhaps 

285 



most of it is moonshine. But I rather like it 
all the same. I wonder if it is true that 
"Loving is Joy"? I would like to put this 
to the test. You can love people after New 
Philosophy methods miles away, can't you? 
Now, can't I love a man at a distance and 
thus get the joy of loving, regardless of 
whether he loves me or not? 

A. — You cannot really love a man just by 
deciding to do so. Nor can you force your- 
self to love any particular man for the pur- 
pose of getting joy. "What then; am I 
doomed to a loveless existence ? ' J you say. By 
no means. All you have to do is to stop 
trying to control love. Love is a wonderful 
force, already latent in your heart. You do 
not have to manufacture it, or induce it, or 
nurse it. Let it alone and it will walk forth. 
I do not know whether it will select someone 
near or at a distance. Perhaps it will select 
someone of whom your conscience does not 
approve. If it does it will bring on a con- 
flict which will try your strength. But apart 
from the one Love itself selects, it is impos- 
sible for you to love. 



286 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



THE GREAT ACCEPTANCE. 



If you have read carefully all the forego- 
ing chapters, and passed with me from the 
valley of humiliation to the mount of bless- 
ing — if you have seen with me the ugly shapes 
of the beast and afterwards heard with me 
the sweet melody of the song of life within, 
a great longing may arise in your heart to be 
one with ME, with the I AM. 

Selfishness cannot accept the christpower, 
and you can only accept it to the extent that 
you give up all your selfishness. 

The way of the Great Acceptance is hard 
to take and I can only point it out to those 
who are willing to give up the personal sel- 
fishness that some seem to hold so dear. 

I will gladly neceive your letter and give 
individual advice and help. And of those 
who have written for advice before they have 

287 



read this book, I ask the kindness of another 
letter, supplemental to the former one, writ- 
ten in the light of having read this book and 
telling me if they are WILLING to give up 
all selfishness. In the first edition of "The 
New Philosophy/' in 1904, I told the world 
that no contributions were needed and that I 
would not accept a cent for the book. Yet 
those, who rose to the height of sending a 
contribution in spite of that rule, even though 
not half the value of the book, were the ones 
from whom the influences were most in- 
stantly exorcised. 

I do not know if you will believe me when 
I say that I only look at the money question 
as it may affect you, and not at all as it may 
affect me. If I perceived that your develop- 
ment would be advanced by the sacrifice of 
money, I would tell you so frankly, without 
the slightest fear of, or care of, your, or any 
one's else opinion of me. 

Yes, I did charge you for this book, be- 
cause I knew T it would be ©f great value to 
you if you had to sacrifice to get it, and 
might not be, if you got it for nothing. 

288 









"When the time comes for you, you will not 
only believe it, but you will feel and know 
that you are one with ME, and you will feel 
with me that the christpower is all in all and 
any personal sense of separateness or separate 
belongings is nothing at all ! 

Those who cannot meet me in the flesh can 
nevertheless be one with me in experiencing 
my perfect vitality and harmony. 

The flood-gates are open from me to you; 
you are, so to speak, on the wire, and only 
have to press down the key to feel the flood 
of electricity charging your batteries. 

To press down that key you have to press 
down self, and rise to the height of joining 
hands with me over the dead feelings of 
"separate personalities." That is why the 
sense of obligation that you would have had 
in your mind had I given this book without 
price as I did ' i The New Philosophy, ? ' would 
have interfered with the fullness of the trans- 
ference of spiritual strength — that is why 
you cannot receive it, unless you can humbly 
receive it freely, without thought of obliga- 
tion, compensation, or the old law of so much 

289 



for so much. That was a law between per- 
sonality and personality and if you invoke 
that law you raise that barrier of personality 
which stops the spiritual electricity from 
flowing. 

Dear brother, dear sister, it will be a joy 
beyond the power of words to express, if you 
will allow me to be the human instrument to 
bring you the blessings of health and har- 
mony. I know of a surety, that these bless- 
ings can be drawn to you through me, I know 
that you and I, in our oneness, can bring the 
christpower to bear on every adverse con- 
dition, casting it out forever. I know that 
I can be with you, however far away in body, 
and be one with you in the power of Unselfish 
Love, the Great Love of Blessing, to drive 
out all your fears, and your mental and phy- 
sical ailments. Even without writing to me, 
I am willing that you should relax and call 
me to you, spiritually, at any time of the 
day or night, for mutual resistance to your 
fears or ailments. If you can then sense me 
with you, it will be well, but if not, I invite 
you to write to me anyway and try again 

290 



at some time when you will have informed 
me you were going to call. 

Instructions especially for you will gladly 
be given, for there is a different path for each 
and the Great Acceptance must be made 
known to each alone. 

If you feel not yet able to give up all 
selfishness do not be discouraged, only write 
to me that you are WILLING to do so. 

Though I do not " treat " anyone at the 
request of some one else — the reason is that 
I have no right to interfere, even for their 
good, in cases where I am not invited — yet I 
will gladly help you to help others. 

And to you who belong to the great legion 
of healers I offer reinforcement in your work. 
Every healer, of no matter what faith, is a 
battery of Divine electricity. Now, two bat- 
teries united can accomplish more than one. 
Yes, infinitely more. You who have trod the 
way alone, and triumphed over sickness and 
inharmony, can yet, in proud humility, take 
my outstretched hand for further triumphs. 

Many who read these words may unselfishly 
long to be the instruments for great healing 

291 



power. Sweeter than sweet life itself, dearer 
than dear home, is the high calling of the 
Great Love of Blessing. "Would you give up 
all for that high calling ? Yet would you per- 
haps not enter in. Yes, you may truly give 
up all, but you cannot give up all for Love's 
sake until that Love fills your heart. Giving 
up in order to get something else is not genu- 
ine giving up at all. 

But you who have been, and you who are, 
and you who would be, of the legion of heal- 
ers, can one and all take through me w r hat 
fresh vitality, positive harmony and spiritual 
strength you need, with this one proviso, that 
you take it freely. 

And again I say, do not hesitate to write 
me. I will read and answer. Perhaps not 
the same day, but in good time. 

Now the harvest truly is great and I would 
that you would labor by my side, for the 
laborers are few. 

And I care not what your belief, or age or 
sex or strength njay be, for the I AM will 
fill you full of good cheer, and renew your 
youth, and give you strength. 



292 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



BIBLE LESSON ON INFLUENCES. 



I interfere between no man and his doctor 
or priest. They are myself, in a greater 
degree than we can yet realize. 

On the other hand I do not force my re- 
ligious opinions upon anyone. Many earnest 
hearts were offended with me because I 
quoted from the Bible in the former editions 
of " The Great Exorcism, ' ' and perhaps it is 
no wonder, when we consider how many in- 
humanities have been committed, not only in 
the name of the scriptures, but in the sacred 
name of our Christ. 

I do not quote from the Bible in order to 
offend anyone, not yet to prove the truth of 
the message sent to you through me. No 
verbal proof of that will be necessary, be- 
cause I either prove it on your own body 

293 



or through your own circumstances or it must 
await the awakening moment. 

I quote from scripture in all humility. It 
makes mef humble to know that long ago, be- 
yond the dark ages, such a literary master- 
piece as the Bible has set a standard of ex- 
cellence that we can not even distantly and 
falteringly approach. 

The selections have been picked out with 
greatest care. Every word is alive, and 
even the Materialist must acknowledge that 
these quotations bear internal evidence of 
being the highest truth. 

Yet you need believe nothing to partake 
of the wondrous healing of the Great Love. 
For he who believes nothing is in just as 
great need, and perhaps greater, of the heal- 
ing power. 

Neither do you need to give up medicines, 
for he who doses himself with the worst 
medicines is in perhaps greater need of the 
Great Healing of Blessing than you who know T 
better. 

BEELZEBUB INFLUENCES. 

Are you troubled by these influences, are 
your motives misunderstood, and your high 

294 



resolves sneered at? I say unto you that 
when you surrender to the ME, and, as you 
may be directed, perform the great accept- 
ance, that condition will INSTANTANEOUS- 
LY be healed. 

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, 
This fellow does not cast out devils but by- 
Beelzebub the prince of devils. 

And Jesus knew their thoughts and said 
unto them, Every kingdom divided against 
itself is brought to desolation. 

And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils by 
whom do your children cast them out? There- 
fore they shall be your judges. 

But if I cast out devils by the spirit of 
God then the kingdom of God is come unto 
you.— Matthew XII: 24-28. 



BELIAL INFLUENCES. 

Do you suffer from the anger and mischief 

of others? Do you feel beset by malicious 

animal magnetism? Write at once — it may 

soon be too late — I will show you THE WAY. 

But the children of Belial said, How shall 

this man save us? And they despised him 

and brought him no presents. But he held 

his peace. — 1 Samuel X:27. 



THE INFLUENCE OF THE BEAST. 

Are you assailed by influences that seek to 
pull back your development to the level of 
some animal ? Accept the christpower — I will 

295 



tell you how r Do not neglect it. You must 
do it at once, for your own sake. Do not 
think of me, or wonder how I can find time to 
write to you, or wonder how it is that I can 
make you such a wonderful offer free of any 
charge whatever, but think of yourself, and 
how you stand on the edge of a terrible preci- 
pice. I do not need you, but you need ME ! 
The influence called Satan is stronger in the 
world now than ever before. Now, as of old, 
one might say: 

They became fools. 

And changed the glory of the uncorrupt- 
ible God into an image made like birds, and 
four-footed beasts and creeping things. — 
Romans 1:22, 23. 

That old serpent called the devil and Satan, 
which deceiveth the whole? world * * * 
was cast out! — Revelation XII: 9. 



THE INFLUENCES CAUSING DISEASE. 

Go back over Chapter XI where the vari- 
ous phases of this influence are described. 
Each phase is a strong adversary but there is 
a stronger power than all of them put to- 
gether — will you reject it? 

And the diseases departed from them and 
the evil spirits went out of them. — Acts 
XIX:12. 

296 



1. Then lie called his twelve disciples to- 
gether, and gave them power and authority 
over all devils, to cure diseases. 

2. And sent them to * * * heal the 
sick. 

42. Rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed 
the child, and delivered him again to his 
father.— Luke IX: 1, 2, 42. 

Will take away from thee all sickness. — 
Deut. VII: 15. 



THE ABADDON INFLUENCE. 

If you will write to me exactly how this 
influence affects you, I will at once tell you 
the secret whereby, as of old, the Scorner may 
he cast out. 

10. Cast out the SCORNER and conten- 
tion shall go out; yea, strife and reproach 
shall cease. — Proverbs XXII: 10. 

Still the enemy and the avenger, — Psalms 
VIII: 2. 

And the shapes of the locusts were like 
unto horses prepared unto battle * * * 
and their faces were as the faces of men. 

11. And they had a king over them, which 
is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose 
name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon. — 
Revelation IX: 7, 11. 

8. And shall go out to deceive the nations 

* * * to gather them together to battle. — 
Revelation XX: 8. 

14. For they are the spirits of devils 

* * * which go forth unto the Kings of 
the earth, and of the whole world, to gather 
them to the battle. — Revelation XVI: 14. 

297 



SELF-ACCUSATION. 

Referring to Chapter XIII if you are so op- 
pressed, let me know if you are willing to 
give up all selfish desires to conquer this 

INFLUENCE. 

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the 
kingdom of our God, and the POWER of 
his CHRIST for the accuser of our brethren 
is cast down. — Revelation XII: 10. 



MAMMON. 

Never a step toward money can be taken 
until this influence is conquered. To be one 
with the great Mind, is to have power to com- 
mand a plentiful supply. But the influence 
stands in the way and shuts you out. To 
conquer is hard, the way is a shock to the 
mind but the victory is certain ! 

Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. — Mat- 
thew VI: 24. 

But thou shalt remember the Lord thy 
God: for it is he that giveth thee power to 
get wealth.— Deut. VIII: 18. 

Poverty * * * snail be to him that re- 
fuseth instruction. — Proverbs XIII: 18. 

The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, 
and he added no sorrow with it. — Prov. X:22. 

And all these things shall be added unto 
you.— Matthew VI: 33. 

298 



MOLOCH. 

Whatever the "Germ" or "mental devil" 
or whatever it is, this influence is now ter- 
ribly prevailing and terribly oppressive. I 
will gladly write you if you will tell me how 
you are afflicted, then you will learn by joy- 
ful experience, when the moment comes, that 
this way is INSTANTANEOUS relief. 

19. As if a man did flee from a lion, and 
a bear met him; or went into the house, and 
leaned his hand on the wall, and serpent bit 
him. 

26. Ye have borne the tabernacle of your 
Moloch.— Amos V:19, 26. 

Let the oppressed go free and break every 
yoke.— Isaiah LVIII:6. 

I have seen thy tears; behold, I will heal 
thee.— II Kings XX: 5. 



LUCIFER. 

As in Chapter XVI promised, the so-called 
angel of injustice can be exorcised, and that 
instantly. Only write to me telling plainly 
who is unjust to you and how. Do not delay 
■ — I await your letter! 

Dare any of you, having a matter against 
another, go to law before the unjust? — I Cor- 
inthians VI :1. 

12. How art thou fallen from heaven, O 
Lucifer, * * * how art thou cut down to 
the ground; 

13. For thou hast said * * * 

299 



14. "I will be like the most High" * * * 
19. But thou art cast out — Isaiah XIV: 
12, 13. 



ANTI-CHRIST. 

That bad luck comes from an Elemental 

influence is recognized by all students of 

elementals. Once the influence is driven 

out, you will INSTANTLY be free. In a 

moment, in the twinkling of an eye, that bad 

Thing called bad luck will leave you forever. 

Time and chance happeneth to them all. 

For man also knoweth not his time; as the 

fishes which are taken in an evil net, and as 

the birds that are caught in the snare. — Ec- 

clesiastes IX: 11, 12. 

And see if * * * it was a chance that 
happened to us. — I Samuel VI: 9. 

This is a deceiver and an Antichrist. — II 
John 7. 



ASHTORETH OR BABYLON. 

This influence comes in dreams. Some it 
only annoys, others it drives to madness. You 
who would be free must tell me ALL. I will 
write you a personal letter according to the 
nature of your dreams. I will POINT THE 
WAY, and you will be one with ME, and the 
"I" will supply the power — the christ- 
power. 

300 



For Solomon went after Ashtoreth (or As- 
tarte) the goddess. — I Kings XI: 5. 

Filthy dreamers defile the flesh. — Jude 8. 

And after these things I saw another angel 
come down from heaven, having great power, 
and the earth was lightened with his glory. 

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, 
saying Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, 
and is become the habitation of devils, and 
the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of 
every unclean and hateful bird. 

How much she hath glorified herself, and 
lived deliciously, * * * for she saith in 
her heart, I live a queen. 

And a mighty angel took up a stone like a 
great millstone and cast it into the sea, say- 
ing, Thus with violence shall * * * 
Babylon be thrown down. — Revelation XVIII: 
1, 2, 7, 21. 



PROBLEMS AND FEARS. 

Dear brother, clear sister, let me write to 
you of your problems and fears. Let me be 
the humble instrument to bring into your life 
the blessings of health and success. Join 
with me in bringing about a new freedom for 
the whole world, until Abaddon and all his 
angels shall be cast out, together with all the 
other influences. For each one that gives 
up all selfishness and thus receives the christ- 
power, adds to the movement to make the 
world sweet and sane and peaceful. 

301 



Just write me that you are WILLING to 
sacrifice all selfishness, and trust me for the 
rest. 

A glorious advancement is coming to the 
whole world. Those ideals of unselfishness 
which have hitherto been by the world scorned 
and despised will come into universal power. 
Do not be one to lag behind. You may not 
actually be able yet to give up all selfishness. 
You do not have to say you are able — only 
say you are WILLING. 



There met him two, possessed with devils. 

So the devils besought him saying, If thou 
cast us out, suffer us to go away into the 
herd of swine. 

And he said unto them, Go * * * and 
behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently 
down a steep place into the sea. — Matthew 
VIII: 28, 31, 32. 

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, 
and he will dwell with them. 

And God shall wipe away all tears from 
their eyes; and there shall be no more death, 
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there 
be any more pain. — Revelations XXI: 3, 4. 

And I will give peace in the land, and ye 
shall lie down and none shall make you 
afraid.— Leviticus XXVI: 6. 

And in the days of these Kings shall the 
God of Heaven set up a kingdom (on Earth) 
which shall never be destroyed. — Daniel II: 
44. 

302 



Be glad then * * * The floors shall be 
full of wheat and the vats shall overflow with 
wine and oil. 

And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied. 

My people shall never be ashamed. — Joel 
11:23, 26. 

Sing, * * * be glad and rejoice with all 
thy heart. 

Behold at that time I will undo all that 
afflict thee; and I will save her that halteth. 
— Zephaniah 111:14, 19. 

BUT AS FOR ME, THIS SECRET IS NOT 
REVEALED TO ME FOR ANY WISDOM 
THAT I HAVE MORE THAN ANY LIVING. 
—Daniel 11:30. 



:m 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



TESTIMONIALS AND REVIEWS. 



Healing by the instantaneous transference 
of spiritual power needs no argument or 
" faith' 7 to support it. Every day I receive 
many letters telling of actual results. 

So the former editions of this book drew 
forth such an overwhelming chorus about up- 
lifting and benefits actually experienced, that 
no flatterer's voice could add anything to the 
knowledge of its power. 

Impersonally, praise and blame are alike 
null and void, and it is in no sense of vain- 
gloriousness that I publish extracts from the 
avalanche of spontaneous, unsolicited letters 
showered upon me immediately upon the pub- 
lication of the first edition. 

It is merely to encourage the seeker, who 
has not found the illumination, or been im- 

304 



pressed with the inspiration, to seek deeper. 
What those others have gained from reading 
this book you can gain also. If it is there 
for them, it is likewise there for you. 



I think the book wonderful. I wouldn't take five 
dollars for it. My health is so much better now 
than when I wrote you. — S. L., Yoakum, Tex. (No. 
13). 



It protects me from the influences of evil and 
gives me strength to overcome temptations and 
preserve my peace and health. — J. S., Richmond, 
Va., (No. 32). 



I read the book time and again. Words cannot 
express the feeling that comes over me, as I was 
at the point of despair. My health and my busi- 
ness have improved so much that it is beyond 
belief.— N. S., Neligh, Neb. (No. 48). 



I have very carefully read your book. It is a 
wonderful book, — the truth is therein expressed. 
I have had some experience with influences and 
spirit forces. Now I have no fear of them any 
more, and the consciousness has enabled me to 
cast those influences out of others. — E. S., Grand 
Rapids, Mich. (No. 60). 



A remarkable book, the most scientific explana- 
305 



tion of good and evil I have ever seen. — G. L. B., 
Cherryvale, Kan. (No. 192). 



I have received help and strength from it daily. 
I feel that I have received POWER already. — Mrs. 
W. L. M., Paradise, Butte Co., Cal. (No. 213). 



An inquiry was held at Washington, D. C, 
by the United States Government as to the 
effectiveness of the author's treatment and 
the genuineness of his claims, and evidence 
was produced that his treatment was effective, 
and the Government on July 23, 1917, decid- 
ed in his favor. If the slightest exaggeration 
had been found the Government would have 
decided against him and closed the mails to 
him. Although it w T as not found neces- 
sary to use the following signed statement, 
yet it was ready, and constitutes the most 
remarkable document in the world. Each 
name is solemnly signed, as in the presence 
of the august Government of the United 
States. Think of just one person being will- 
ing to bravely face the whole world and to 
stand forth upon his sacred word and upon 
his solemn oath and to volunteer, without 

306 



hope of reward, so to stand in the face of 
tremendous odds, for the great work of bless- 
ing! 

And then look at those names — look at all 
of them — and think of every one so — for each 
signed separately and voluntarily, and you 
will see that this is the most stupendous docu- 
ment the world has ever seen. The originals 
constitute a precious treasure and will gladly 
be shown to anyone on request: 

In the District Court, ) 

ss 
United States of America^ 

We, the undersigned, on our respective 
oaths, solemnly swear and affirm, that the 
offer of free healing made by Arthur Crane 
is a genuine one and he has proved it in 
actual results to each of us. His work is a 
great work of Blessing and we are glad to be 
able to bear witness to all mankind of the 
truth and effectiveness of the power of "Un- 
selfish Love. ' ' 

C. A. Beverly, A. M., M. D., Professor Oriental Uni- 
versity (Washington, D. C), residence Summer Cot- 
tage, Lily Dale, N. Y. — Dr. F. F. Wilcox, President 
World's Ideal Institute of Health, Box 133, California 
Pa.— M. F. Moss, 2510 Pine St., San Francisco, Cal. — 
Wm. H. Taylor, M. D., Bryn Mawr, Washington — Emil 
Helmich, Dutzow, Mo. — John M. Stewart, Vanadium, 
New Mexico — Wm. H. Houck, Vanadium, New Mexico 
— R. S. Allen, Box 1531, Globe, Ariz.— Frank W. Long, 

307 



Williamsport, Md. — E. D. Pratt, Farm Lands, Tek- 
amah, Nebr. — Anton Andreason, Rosenroll, Alberta, 
Canada — Alex. Wheeler, Fort Worden, Wash. — H. W. 
Peterson, Stanhope, Iowa — B. H. Davis, Storekeeper, 
JEdmonds, Wash. — Wm. F. Wolf, Royal Center, Ind.— R. 
A. Huebner, 918 S. Yellow Springs St., Springfield, Ohio 
—I. O. Brown, Box 18, East San Diego, Cal. — Mrs. I. O. 
Brown, Box 18, East San Diego, Cal. — Geo. W. Ham- 
mond, 412 Ken. Avenue, Topeka, Kansas — L. E. Farns- 
worth, Endicott City, Md. — W. D. Nuckolls, P. O. Box 
564, Huntington, W. Va- Nat J. Baker, Agerton, B. C, 
Canada — H. Hansen, R. F. D. No. 7, Box 218, Santa 
Barbara, Cal.— August W. Windhorst, 2919 10'th St., 
Tampa, Fla. — H. B. Conwell, Topeka, Kansas — Mrs. 
Lenora Conwell, Topeka, Kansas — E. C. Wagoner, Al- 
exandria, Minn. — Julius Olson, Vanderhoof, B. C, Can- 
ada — Amosa D. Couilliard, 34 Arlington St., Framing- 
ham, Mass. — Gene Parker, Viking, Alta. — C. E. 
Ouinlan, care Avenue House, Evanston, 111. — Peter J. 
Muehr, 734 College Ave., Racine, Wis. — Solomon Hen- 
ricks, Conrad, Montana — Hollis S. Hastings, 632 W. 
Bonnerville St., Pocatello, Idaho — Henry Clay, Box 
421, R. F. D. Willits, Cal.— Cornelius Morgan, Standard 
Mine, Silverton, B. C, Canada — Walter H. Spencer, 
423 Howland Ave., Kenashee, Wis. — Max Windmiller, 
Mankato, Minn. — A. J. Hicklin, East San Diego, Cal. 
— Granville T. Strickler, 922 Madison Ave., York, Pa. — 
John Avonda, Box 3. Wilsonburg. W. "Va. — Henry T. 
Haller, 283 Strauss St., Buffalo, N. Y.— D. J. Kiser, 
Box G, Golden, Colo. — Henry Daringer, 714 Fehr Ave., 
Louisville, Ky. — R. J. Barbour, Enterprise, Miss. — 
J. E. Weybright, Bloomington, Ind.— R. P. Klose, 613 
Arch St., Macon, Ga. — Jacob Hoffmann, Rt. 2, Payette, 
Idaho — J. Friedrich Arn, 1215 Acoma St., Denver. Colo. 
— Sonhia S. Budington, Lake Pleasant, Mass. — William 
M. Hunt, Ashburnham. Mass. — Frank Richey. Mason 
City, la.— Miss Anna Calvin, 227 Hickory St., Elkhart, 
Ind.— Fannie S. Fishblate, 111 So. 5th Ave., "Wilming- 
ton, North Carolina — Annie E, Sherman, Sherman 
Route, Readsboro, Vt. — Mrs. Bertha Young Connell, 
649 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown. Ohio— Mrs. E. Camp- 
bell. 108 Main St., Hornell, N. Y.— Mrs. Sarah J. Gif- 
ford, Republic, Washington — Irma Evan. 1820 N. Pearl 
St.. Dallas. Texa° — Matti* E. Staley, 330 Auditorium 
bMr:., Spokane, Wash. — Mrs. Flora Zeller, Lansing, 
Mich.— Anna Ramsnacher, 1910 N. 23rd St.. Philadel- 
phia, Pa. — Eliza D. Henderson, Sloan, Iowa — Mrs. 
Francis Allen, Sulphur Springs, Texas — H. Weynar, 
435 Riverside Drive, New York City— L. J.. Manning, 
East Charlemont, Mass. — Mrs. A. Moore, Rt. No. 3, Box 
78a, Enid, Okla.— Catherine McQuarrie, 320 6th St., 

308 



S. W., North Vancouver, B. C, Canada — Mrs. J. H. 
Willis, Bellingham, Wash. — Mrs. Walter L. Brown, 
Harrington, Del. — Alona E. Clay, Box 819, Clearwater, 
Fla. — B. V. Samuell, Greenville, Texas — Rebecca Mc- 
Cutcheon, 62 S. 6th St., Reading-, Pa.— Mary L. S. 
North, Marcellus, N. Y. — Ella S, Billings, 531 W. 5th 
St., Los Angeles, Cal. — Mrs. A. S. Home, 364 Summit 
Ave., Pasadena, Cal. — Alma C. Arnold, Broadway and 
70th St., New York, N. Y.— Jane B. Schoonover, 136 
W. Pigueroa St., Santa Barbara, Cal. — Mrs. W. A. 
Ashford, Ashford, Wash. — D. E. Fleming, Lodi, Cal. — 
Laura A. Thompson, Hotel Sherman, Room 62, Seattle, 
Wash. — Caroline L. Young, Box 708, Ancon, Canal 
Zone, Panama — Ellen Heynen, 383 East 7th St., 
Brooklyn. N. Y. — Mrs. T. E. Wright, Payette, Idaho — 
Mrs. E. P. Card, Santa Rita, New Mexico — Minnie M. 
McComb, 115% Washtenaw St., Lansing, Mich. — Mrs. 
Mary Ann Rush, Giggsville, 111.— Pearl Dilworth, 930 E. 
5th Ave., Mitchell, S. D.— Liberta Neff, 320 Sugar Ave., 
Toledo, Ohio — Clara G. Borden, Rt. No. 1, Box 74, 
Kooskia, Idaho — Mrs. Cleo V. Butner, 118 W. Peachtree 
St., Atlanta, Ga— Mary Elizabeth Hand, 50 Elm- 
wood Ave., Montclair, N. J. — Mrs. Minnie C. Silor, 
224 W. Broadway, Louisville, Ky. — Hedwig Armen- 
dinger, Forest Ridge, Grand Rapids, Mich. — Edith A. 
Lacey, 230 S. Flower St., Los Angeles, Cal. — Mrs. 
Baumte, 202 S. Oklahoma Ave., Shawnee, Okla. — Mrs. 
C. E. Hanley, 195 N. Vernon Ave., Pasadena, Cal. — 
Miss Elisa Perschbacher. 356 Division St., West Bend, 
Wis. — Evangeline S. Hummons, 89 S. Ohio Ave., 
Columbus, Ohio — Mrs. M. D. Lindsey, R. F. D. No. 1, 
Box 52, Itasca, Texas — Mrs. M. D. Farren, Colorado- 
Springs, Colo. — Martha Bringardner, New Lexington, 
Ohio — Mrs. Flora Crick, Northport, Nebr. — O. A. Ken- 
nedy, Ex- Treasurer of Tattnell County, Glenhville, Ga. 
Anna A. Emerick, Stewartstown, Pa. — Minnie Mc- 
Comb, 115% Washtenaw St., Lansing, Mich. — W. K. 
Dickey, Altoona, Pa. — D. Livingston, Anchmutz Mill, 
By Markinch, Fife, Scotland — Susan A. Rood, 418 
Third St. S. E., Washington, D. C— Mary M. Hay, 
Pierce, Idaho — Bella McCormick, Maryfield, Sask., 
Canada — Delia Singer, 110 Bath St., Hot Springs, Ark, 
— Mrs. Anna S. Bryan, 1948 6th Ave. W., Seattle, 
Wash.— Mrs. M. R. Westfall, 1040 Lincoln St., Los 
Angeles, Cal. — Mrs. J. S. Patterson, King St., Nor- 
wood, Ont., Canada — Howard Gardner. Box 35, Bryn 
Mawr, Wash. — Mamie E. B. Davis. "Richmond. Ind. — 
Julia A. Dixon, 236 W. 64th St., New York, N. Y.— 
Mrs. Phil Kothenbach, 541 Michigan Ave., North Fon 
du Lac, Wis.— Mrs. F. H. Kaufman, 1983 S. St. Paul 
St., Denver, Colo. — Mrs. John D. Leedy, 406 N. 64th 
St, Seattle, Wash. — Anna L. Biggs, Box 85, Folsom, 

*W9 



Cal.— Dora E. Walters, 3010 3rd Ave., S. Billings, Mont. 
— Mrs. Nellie Walz, Victor, Colo. — Mrs. Margaret 
Creighton, Nekoma, N. D. — Mrs. Martha M. Casten, 
Box 258, So. Dayton, N. Y— M. B. Waddle, Lexing- 
ton, Texas— Mrs. E. D. Williams. Rt. No. 2, Keeth- 
ville, La. — Lena Schrauth, Belleville, 111. — James Flan- 
agan, Montesano, Wash. — Montie Smith, Rodney, Ark. 
— Dora B. Karrick. Rockville, Ind. — Marie M. Cunning- 
ham. 55 West 126th St., New York, N. Y. — Frances 
E. Hotsenpiller, Magnetic Springs, Ohio — Clara Her- 
man, Easton, Pa. — Mrs. Hattie Love, lo08 S. Main St., 
Los Angeles, Cal. — Bessie Bloom. Rochester, Minn. — 
John Lauber. 1227 E. Chelton Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 
— D. Louise Corser, 921 W. 79th St., Los Angeles, Cal. 
— Mrs. Anna Burdett. College Park, Ga. — S. H. Snider, 
Winkelman, Ariz. — Maude H. Cochran, Central City, 
Nebr. — Elsie Forrer, Morrow, Ohio — Clinton H. Foster, 
Altoona, Kansas. (Also many others, for which we 
have no room.) 



Extracts from individual affidavits all 
sworn to before notaries and voluntarily sent 
to the author: 



"When I began taking treatment with 
Arthur Crane I was a physical w r reek. Now 
thanks to him and his wonderful book, I am 
well again." — Emma Campbell. 

(Sworn before Frances O'Connor, Notary 
Public, Steuben County, New York.) 



' ' It was something of a surprise to find my 
pains all gone after a short time and find my 
•old time strength returning. I grew stronger 
from day to day and now am able to walk 
forth a man among men." — Max Windmiller, 

31Q 



Mankato, Minn. (Sworn before E. G. Skuse, 
Notary Public.) 



"Ina short time I was immeasurably bene- 
fited. I am thankful and glad that I sent for 
the book.'*— Mrs. M. D. Lindsey, 125 West 
Hyrtle St., San Antonio, Texas. (Sworn be- 
fore E. 0. Haeschke, Notary Public.) 



' ' We have read your books and taken your 
treatments with grand results. I am a gradu- 
ate of two Medical Colleges and a member of 
three state societies and I am interested in 
this new phase of psychology, which will 
surely be of untold value to the suffering 
world."— C. A. Beverly, A. It, M. D., Lily 
Dale, N. Y. (Sworn before J. B. Parke, 
Notary Public.) 



"February 17, 1917, I received a copy of 
'The Great Exorcism,' and immediately began 
following the directions therein laid down, 
and I was cured of my sickness right away; 
and I have experienced no return of the 
sickness since, although nearly a year has 

311 



elapsed. ' ' — James Flannagan, Montesano, 
Wash. (Sworn before J. A. Hutcheson, 

N. P.) 



\ i I received treatments from Mr. Crane and 
was cured of spinal trouble and heart disease. 
Now I feel perfectly well. Am working every 
day and am happier than I have ever been." 
—Dora E. Walters, 3010 3rd Ave., South, 
Billings, Montana. (Sworn before Robert C. 
Stong, Notary Public.) 



M 'The Great Exorcism Ms the highest piece 
of printed matter that has been my privilege 
to read. It gives me strength to overcome 
temptations and my health is much better 
now than when I wrote you." — Pearl Dil- 
worth, 930 E. 5th Ave., Mitchell, So. Dak. 
(Sworn before A. B. Darling, Notary Pub- 
lic.) 



"I have used the principles embodied in 
'The Great Exorcism' for some time in my 
practice, having fbund them of great per- 
sonal value." — Dr. F. F. Wilcox, California, 
312 



Pa. (Sworn before John B. Myers, Notary 
Public.) 



'" 'The Great Exorcism' has done wonders 
for me both spiritually, mentally and phys- 
ically. " — H. G. Daringer, 714 Fehr Avenue, 
Louisville, Ky. (Sworn before Henry Ries, 
Notary Public.) 



"I was told by the best physicians that 
my case was beyond repair and I really felt 
and believed that I was less than 30 days 
from the undertaker and now I am so wonder- 
fully improved physically and mentally that 
I am a wonder to all. ' ' — Hollis Spencer Hast- 
ings, Pocatello, Idaho. (Sworn before John 
W. Peter, Notary Public.) 



"Mr. Crane's teaching and treatments have 
benefited me immeasurably — spiritually, men- 
tally and physically." — Mrs. Mary Anna 
Rush. (Sworn before James Higgins, No- 
tary Public, Pike Co., 111.) 



'For 37 years been a sufferer of con- 
313 



vulsions and epilepsy. Following the instruc- 
tions contained in 'The Great Exorcism' am, 
for the most part, cured. Since taking the 
treatment have not suffered any with either 
the convulsions or epilepsy.'' — Richard A. 
Huebner, Springfield, Ohio. (Sworn before 
Staford L. O'Hara, Notary Public.) 



"Arthur Crane's book, 'The Great Exor- 
cism ' is a revelation within itself of truth and 
righteousness. I understand the Bible better 
since reading it. The results of the treat- 
ments and the reading of the book, wrought 
the healing of what was thought to be an 
awful cancer of the breast. The work was 
instantaneous, as soon as I was ready to give 
up self and accept Christ." — Mrs. J. H. 
Willis, End Lake St., Bellingham, Washing- 
ton. (Sworn before Chas. B. Sampley, No- 
tary Public.) 



"I was an invalid for three years, was 
treated by several doctors without getting 
any relief. And through Mr. Crane 's method 
of treatment I did get instant relief." — 

314 



Jessie Goza, 2000 W. 6th St., Pine Bluff, Ark. 
(Sworn before J. F. Jones, Notary Public.) 



"Affiant for many, many years suffered 
great misery from gall-stones and tried many 
remedies and doctors but never received any 
relief from any of them; received my first 
relief from Arthur Crane until now I am 
completely restored and have better health 
in every particular than I have had since I 
was 18 years of age, now being 74.*' — Mrs. 
Frances Allen, Sulphur Springs, Texas. 
(Sworn before Sig. Wachholday, Notary Pub- 
lic.) 



REVIEWS. 

I only have room for a few reviews of my 
work by the press. Here again there is a real 
purpose in including such. If the ordinary 
cynical worldling, or whoever writes news- 
paper reviews, can see so much in the Word 
of Blessing, you who have devoted your lives 
to the search for truth will know that if you 
only look deep enough you will see even that 

315 



which is hidden from the sight of many 
others, however clever they may be. 



"The Great Exorcism." The author is master of 
a mass of forgotten lore, and the prophet of a new 
method of curing human ills by expelling the evil 
physical and mental phenomena which cause our 
troubles. — Richmond (Val.) Times-Dispatch, Jan. 
11, 1916. 



Uncommon wealth of thought — a wonderful 
dynamo — Mr. Crane's methods are admirably 
adapted to making spiritual truth clear — scientific, 
in the highest sense of the word — beautiful elo- 
quence.— Boston Ideas. 



The attitude of health, love. — Louisville Courier 
Journal, Janary 14, 1905. 



We reciprocate the publisher's unselfishness and 
give his name and address.— London Daily Mail. 
Jan. 12, 1905. 



New analogy between physical and moral prin- 
ciples. — The Outlook, New York, Jan. 21, 1905. 



Not the familiar pamphlet of the fanatic — cer- 
tainly deserves an unprejudiced reading. — San 
Francisco Bulletin, December 25, 1904. 



Arthur Crane, who published and gave away 
316 



20,000 copies of a previous book, "The New Phil- 
osophy," sends fo^th "The Great Exorcism," which 
is apparently an evolution of the so-called New 
Thought, classifying all present-day adverse "in- 
fluences" such as malice, anger, greed, etc., and 
showing them to be identical with the evil spirits 
and demons of mythology and legend. These are 
driven out by spiritual telepathic power of un- 
selfish love. — Express Advertiser Portland, Me., 
Jan. 15, 1916. 



Shows much insight and extensive study as well 
as illumination. Brother Crane shows clearly the 
only remedy for all the evil influences. — Sixth 
Cycle Messenger, November, 1915. 



Enthusiastic faith, without which any philosophy 
of life is worthless. — St. Paul Dispatch, Jan. 21, 
1905. 



Original and striking presentation of Mr. Crane's 
view. So far as I can discover the author has no 
axe to grind. His book is good and I hope you will 
all send for it. — Nautilus, February, 1905. 



I think only those will find the wisdom between 
its handsome blue covers, who, instead of asking 
for it gratis, send their dollar for it to Mr. Crane, 
who is more generous than rich. — Oakland, En- 
quirer, 1905. 



Mr. Crane is an altruist in the truest sense — 
317 



proves his faith in his philosophy. — Town Talk, 
San Francisco, Jan. 21, 1905. * 



Writes in a masterly manner. — Atlanta Southern 
Star. 

Fine reading matter, beautifully printed. You 
had better send for a copy. — Path Finder. 



i Well written— good literary style — dignity and 
force. — Birmingham (Ala.) Ledger, Dec. 17, 1904. 



Unfaltering in utterance of truth — teaches love 
in its truest, highest conception. — Unity, March, 
1905. 

Deals in a most masterly way with subjects 
which have been so greatly misunderstood by so 
many. — Fulfillment, Denver, Colo., July, 1905. 



HEALING MEETINGS. 

Where a large audience of those in pain can 
be gathered the author will come without 
charge and hold a healing meeting. 

If those present are able to surrender com- 
pletely to the treatment the result will be in- 
stantaneous and wonderful. For the Spirit 
will be there in full measure, expressing itself 
in its perfect health from within, perfect har- 
mony and perfect faith. Address: Arthur 
Crane, 333 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, 111. 

318 



"THE NEW PHILOSOPHY" 

Many writers, in many parts of the world, 
have joyfully taken up the story and carried 
on the message, since first published by the 
author in 1904 in the first edition of "The 
New Philosophy." They have written in far 
sweeter language than the original, the sweet, 
sweet unity of the ego of man. Many times 
has "The New Philosophy" been revised, 
and it is now, I hope, impersonal in its mes- 
sage — having naught of Self — having naught 
of the author's personal opinions — and many 
there be to whom it has come with a won- 
derful blessing ! 

I will gladly send a copy free to any ad- 
dress — with its healing message — or 20 
copies for $1. Or I will send the 20 copies 
to any 20 addresses you supply for $1, or I 
will send 20 copies to 20 addresses where I 
think they will do the most good for $1. 

Surely no other such opportunity to re- 
lieve distress and disease (twenty times for 
every dollar) can be found ! 

What sacrifice is too great to make for the 
great Work of Blessing? 

And forget not that everyone needs the 
Blessing, for many are self consciously af- 
flicted, although appearing well. 

Address: Arthur Crane, 333 S. Dearborn 
St., Chicago, 111. 

319 



THE IMPERSONAL SEKIES. 



The following is a specimen from the 
" Bhagav ad-Git a" (published by us in full 
morrocco leather, 7x5 inches, price $3 net) : 



The soul, once so simple and pure and bright, 
Was exposed to the lures and the lusts of the ages; 
It sinned and was lost and sunk out of sight, 
And never a glimmer of heavenly light 
Can pierce the black pool where the dark tempest 

rages ; 
But when the black forces can touch it no longer 
It will rise again, bright like it was, only 

STRONGER. 



One whose soul is responsive to inward impres- 
sion 
Will feel the soft touch of the Spirit, 
Will sense the caress of the Master, 
Evolving within him the Purpose, 
Expanding the soul to perfection 
Of unity, harmony, love and devotion. 



Sent postage paid on approval on receipt of 
price. To those who cannot afford to keep it 
we recommend that they send for it, learn it 
by heart, then return it, and receive their 
money back. Address Abstract Truth So- 
ciety, 333 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, 111. Spe- 
cimen pages free. The Bhagavad-Gita is the 
great poem of India, now published for the 
first time in English verse. 

32P 



NOTICE TO ALL WHO HOLD MEETINGS 
FOR SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT 



The Church of Christian Truth is a legal 
church corporation with its Committee at 333 
S. Dearborn St., Chicago. 

All regular meetings held for spiritual ad- 
vancement everywhere, not already a part of 
some legal corporation can, by accepting the 
friendship of, and unity with said Committee, 
become legally a church with a legally or- 
dained minister. The system is analogous to 
that of the Congregational church. Each 
meeting has power to decide its own views and 
to elect its own minister, and the minister so 
elected by any meeting will thereupjpn be 
legally ordained by said Committee; and the 
meeting will become a legally recognized 
church and entitled to use the name ' ' Church 

of Christian Truth of ," and legally 

entitled to hold property tax free. 

We do not say that the legal part is itself 
a sign of spirituality or of progress, but it 
will be a convenience in this way, that it will 
dispose of such questions, leaving the heart 
rretf to rlev^te itself to spiritual development. 

For further particulars and full instruc- 
tions address : ' ' The Committee of the Church 
of Christian Truth, 333 S. Dearborn St., Chi- 
cago, Ills." 

321 



ADVANCED CLASSES. 



Any one who is willing to devote his or her 
life to the great work of Blessing, and who 
has sufficient means to devote three months 
or more to study in Chicago, may apply for 
a class course. 

I do not undertake the class instruction of 
anyone until after I have seen him or her and 
become convinced that the healing message 
to the world can be expressed freely through 
such person, when so instructed. 

I hope no one will hesitate to call on me at 
333 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, and I believe I 
will have time to see everyone who is an earn- 
est seeker. But do not either by letter or 
personally, expect me to answer problems al- 
ready answered in this book — although I en- 
joy doing so ; for I do not seem to have time 
for that. So read the book over carefully be- 
fore calling or writing. Then do not hesitate 
— for it may be the most momentous step in 
your life, leading you into closer unity. 

Address : Eev. Arthur Crane, 333 S. Dear- 
born St., Chicago, 111. 

322 



LIBRARY 




